R Mason Thomas Complements a Chiefs Pass Rush That Still Needs Help

In the 2026 NFL Draft, general manager Brett Veach did a nice job addressing some needs and injecting the Kansas City Chiefs' roster with quality young talent.

To many, though, it was an uncharacteristic draft for Kansas City. The team added multiple players who aren't traditional archetype fits, and second-round pick R Mason Thomas may headline that group.

With the Oklahoma defensive end now in the fold, what does he bring to the Chiefs? Should Veach add even more juice to the depth chart this offseason? Joshua Brisco and Seth Keysor discussed all of that and more on the latest episode of the Only Weird Games podcast on KC Sports Network.

R Mason Thomas gives the Chiefs something they don't typically have

You've heard it before, and you may continue to hear it countless more times despite the team deviating a bit recently: defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has a type.

At the end spot, in particular, Spagnuolo has historically opted for players who are sturdy and long while being quality run defenders. Thomas, all 6-foot-2 and 241 pounds of him, is the opposite of that. He also has sub-32-inch arms — another perceived red flag in Chiefs circles.

Despite that, Thomas could be precisely what the team needs. He's a speed and bend-based rusher who, per Pro Football Focus, logged 63 pressures and 13 quarterback hits in his final two seasons with the Sooners. He wins differently than someone like George Karlaftis or Ashton Gillotte.

That might just make him a nice complement to what's primarily a power-centric group (aside from Felix Anudike-Uzomah).

Will the Chiefs opt for a rotation-based pass rush in 2026?

One thing regarding the defensive end room is obvious: Karlaftis is the leader. He'll continue to command significant snaps and is coming off a year that saw him log 763 of them on defense, good for 73.4% of those available.

With Charles Omenihu (568 snaps) and Mike Danna (389 snaps) leaving town, though, that opens the door for someone else to assume an increased role. 2025 NFL Draft pick Gillotte could be the man for the job come Week 1, but don't expect him to net Karlaftis-level playing time.

Thomas makes sense as a sub-package or late-down rusher. His athletic profile could play well in those scenarios. Anudike-Uzomah is also in a contract year and figures to finally be healthy. Behind Karlaftis, perhaps the Chiefs have a rotating cast of characters.