Jan 21, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen during the first half for the 2024 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Veteran Aiding Chiefs' Defense Well Ahead of Regular Season

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Dominic Minchella | Last updated Aug 13, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The Kansas City Chiefs went into the offseason with the hopes of adding to both their offensive and defensive lines. The defensive line wasn't nearly as much of a priority for the Chiefs as the offensive line was, but it never hurts to add extra pieces to one of the more effective defensive lines in the NFL.

The Chiefs needed some extra veteran presence on the defensive line for the 2025 campaign, so they went out and signed Jerry Tillery. Tillery, a former first-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers, brings much-needed depth to the defensive tackle position in Kansas City.

Tillery is making his third run in the AFC West, having been with both the Chargers and the Las Vegas Raiders in the past. Seeing as though the Chiefs face off against their divisional opponents often this season, bringing in a player like Tillery will surely help the mind games side of the divisional matchups.

So far this offseason, Tillery has begun to adapt to the way the Chiefs run things in Kansas City, and his presence on the defensive line was felt in the Chiefs' first preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals. In the game, the veteran defensive tackle collected three tackles, two of which were solos.

Coaches Thoughts

Defensive line coach for the Chiefs, Joe Cullen, spoke to the media on Tuesday to address how Tillery has been as an addition since signing his contract earlier this offseason.

"Jerry's been a great addition. He's a vet, you know eight-year vet. I mean he's he can play all along the line of scrimmage. He's really worked hard and he's doing a great job and we're glad we have him. He's playing hard, playing physical. He's always been able to be nifty at rushing the passer, but we asked him to be a little bit more stouter in the run game and he's doing that," Coach Cullen said.

Given Tillery's versatility, the Chiefs are likely to get the most out of him as he continues to solidify his role with the franchise. With the next preseason game coming against the Seattle Seahawks, expect things to ramp up for Tillery and the rest of the crew as the regular season quickly approaches.

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This article first appeared on Kansas City Chiefs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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