Jerry Tillery might be the sneakiest piece in Steve Spagnuolo’s puzzle

The Kansas City Chiefs signed defensive tackle Jerry Tillery back in March after losing Tershawn Wharton in free agency to the Carolina Panthers. At the time, it was viewed as a low-cost veteran replacement for Wharton, and after K.C. drafted Omarr Norman-Lott in the second round as a potential long-term answer, Tillery was largely forgotten.

However, after watching a couple of training camp practices last week, Chiefs fans may be overlooking what Tillery could bring to the defense this season.

Tillery was a first-round draft pick by the San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers back in 2019. Tillery never really developed into the player the Chargers hoped for, and he now finds himself on his fourth NFL team as he enters his seventh NFL season.

Jerry Tillery could give the Chiefs more options than expected up front.

Tillery's a proven NFL contributor, but not a difference-making talent. Going into training camp, hopes are that playing next to an All-Pro like Chris Jones might allow Tillery to maximize his chances and make a few more plays than he has in his past three seasons.

With news of Omarr Norman-Lott flashing some early upside, those hopes dropped off a little, and Tillery felt like a rotational depth piece on the defensive line. But then training camp revealed something about Tillery previously unconsidered. Specifically, Tillery can offer the Chiefs (more specifically, Steve Spagnuolo) something they haven't had before: another defensive tackle with the length to play all over the defensive line like Jones does.

Tillery’s listed measurements (6'6", 295 pounds) already stood out, but seeing him in person next to other linemen highlights just how different his frame is compared to other Chiefs defensive tackles. In fact, when standing beside Chris Jones, Tillery appears even a bit taller and leaner. Tershawn Wharton, by contrast, is listed at 6'1" and 280 pounds, making the difference in length and build especially notable.

The Chiefs now have three players along the defensive front with the size and length that Spagnuolo tends to covet. Tillery measures 6'6", 295 pounds with 34.5" arms. Chris Jones is 6'6", 310 pounds with 34.5" arms. Charles Omenihu comes in at 6'5", 280 pounds with 36" arms. Add in George Karlaftis and Mike Danna, both of whom have the strength and effort to kick inside at times, and suddenly the Chiefs have a variety of options for a NASCAR package on passing downs.

Tillery was also seen kicking outside on a few reps during camp, and he moved well enough to potentially offer value on the edge with his length. While much of the focus has been on whether Omarr Norman-Lott or Ashton Gillotte can contribute as rookies—or whether Felix Anudike-Uzomah will live up to his first-round billing—the possibility remains that Kansas City’s best third-down front could feature George Karlaftis on one edge with Chris Jones, Jerry Tillery, and Charles Omenihu rotating inside and outside to keep offensive lines guessing.

It will be interesting to see what Steve Spagnuolo does with Tillery in the Chiefs' preseason games. Will Spags try moving Tillery around the line? Will he play things vanilla and save those looks for when the games actually matter? Either way, Tillery's presence has become a more intriguing part of the defensive equation than initially expected.

What do you think, Chiefs fans? Will Spagnuolo utilize Tillery in the same versatile manner as Chris Jones, or is he simply a veteran depth option competing with Norman-Lott to take over Wharton’s former role? Let us know in the comments below.