Chiefs Add Former AFC West Defender

After signing Bailey Zappe and Kareem Hunt earlier in the day, the Chiefs continued to add to their roster, adding former Los Angeles Chargers first round pick Jerry Tillery to their defensive line.

Tillery signed a one-year deal that sees him play for his third AFC West team.

Tillery was selected with the 28th overall pick in 2018, playing for the Chargers for 3.5 years before being waived in November, 2022. He would then join the Las Vegas Raiders four days after being waived, continuing to play for the club until the end of the 2023 season.

Tillery spent his 2024 season as a member of Brian Flores' defense in Minnesota and his time up north may have helped jumpstart his career, appearing the most comfortable he's looked on the field in some time.

While Tillery didn't work out with Los Angeles, there were some reasons for that. Playing under two defensive coordinators with completely different schemes did not help things. He was originally drafted for Gus Bradley's 4-3 defense and then was retrofitted into Brandon Staley's 3-4.

Tillery is not a good run defender. Staley, a product of the Vic Fangio school of defense, likes to use a light box. Thus teams would attack Tillery with the run since he was the weak point as that's the weak spot in his game and Staley would make zero adjustments to help him out.

As a former first round pick, when you're unable to succeed early and the coaching staff sets you up to fail, the fans start to get on your case. Once that happens, it's a slippery slope that leads to decreased confidence and contiual poor performances.

In Kansas City, he won't have that issue. Steve Spagnuolo will not put him in a position to get exposed, he has a former Charger teammate in the building with Drue Tranquill, and it's likely he'll be used in specially designed pass rushing packages that play to his strengths.

Tillery is also able to provide insight on Raiders' DC Patrick Graham's scheme and tendencies. He also provides insight on the philosophy of Fangio's defense when the team plays the Eagles.

A solid pickup on a deal that does not hurt the team.