Derrick Nnadi's return leaves one young Chiefs player in brutal limbo

The door looked open for Fabien Lovett. At this point, however, as the NFL roster cut deadline draws near, it appears to be closed.

Lovett, who is a second-year defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs, came into the league as a run-stuffing interior lineman hoping to latch onto a team after going undrafted. The Florida State product was projected as a late-round choice, but ultimately, the Chiefs benefitted from his draft fall and got him to sign as a rookie free agent.

After the recent trade to bring back Derrick Nnadi to Kansas City, however, it's hard to say that Lovett is going to fare any better in 2025 than he did in 2024.

The Derrick Nnadi trade slammed the door on any chance Fabien Lovett had to make the active roster.

Coming into his rookie campaign, Lovett was hailed as a smart UDFA signing by the Chiefs with a solid chance to make some noise. The Chiefs have leaned on one-year veteran signings for years for depth at the position—from Matt Dickerson to Mike Pennel to Danny Shelton—so it made sense that a cost-controlled prospect at the position would bring long-term potential and security.

Instead of making the 53-man roster, the Chiefs released Lovett and placed him on the practice squad when he went unclaimed on the waiver wire. Lovett spent the full season there on the taxi squad before earning a futures deal to return in 2025.

The Chiefs watched Nnadi and Turk Wharton depart in free agency for the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers, respectively. After signing Jerry Tillery to a one-year contract and drafting Omarr Norman-Lott in the second round of the 2025 draft, the Chiefs had the same basic set-up as before. Mike Pennel and Chris Jones, along with Norman-Lott and Tillery, formed the core four.

That left the door open for Lovett to grab a potential DT5 slot, if the Chiefs wanted to keep one. There was a need for another nose tackle type who can help anchor the line on early downs, but instead of going with a younger player without any official reps, the Chiefs brought back Derrick Nnadi for essentially what they earned from trading Skyy Moore to the 49ers.

With Nnadi in the room, Lovett's best-case scenario at the present time is to be invited back to the practice squad to start the season. Injuries could open the door once again as the season goes on, and it's possible that Nnadi looks older after watching his snap count fall precipitously last season. But for now, the Chiefs went with the experienced product, which means Lovett is waiting in the wings once again.