KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- George Karlaftis watched the NFL draft in late April with eager anticipation. He had plenty of reasons. Karlaftis, the Chiefs' top defensive end, spent the previous month saying goodbye to former teammates -- players such as linebacker Leo Chenal, safety Bryan Cook and cornerbacks Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams -- after seeing them join a new team during the free agency period.
The group entered the league as part of the Chiefs' impactful 2022 draft class. Karlaftis, who signed a four-year contract extension last summer, is the lone player from the group left on the Chiefs' roster.
The Chiefs accomplished two things in the 2026 draft that intrigued Karlaftis: The top four players play on the same side of the ball as him (the lone team in the NFL for which that is true) -- and two of those rookies will be alongside him on the defensive line.
"I love it, I love it, I love it," a smiling Karlaftis said last week. "The last time we did that, it turned out pretty good for us, right?
"It almost reminds me a little bit of my draft class because we were a pretty defensive-heavy draft class, similar to this year's. It just gets me excited. All those guys are great. So far, from what I've seen, they're going to be great."
During Wednesday's OTA practice, Karlaftis had several reps with defensive tackle Peter Woods (No. 29 pick) and former Oklahoma defensive end R Mason Thomas (No. 40). The two are projected to play plenty of snaps in the upcoming season. And with them, the Chiefs are hoping their defense can once again become one of the league's best, especially when it comes to the pass rush.
Last season, the Chiefs -- with a defensive line featuring several veterans -- struggled to pressure the opposing quarterback at a consistent level. In fact, Chris Jones, the unit's best player, was the lone pass rusher to rank in the top 30 in pass rush win rate. The Chiefs also allowed opposing offenses to convert 44% of their third-down plays, which ranked 29th, the worst rate since coach Andy Reid's tenure began in 2013.
With the acquisition of Woods and Thomas, the Chiefs' defense needs its youth movement to be part of the solution -- with Karlaftis and Jones -- to get off the field faster to return the ball quicker to quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
"I've been really impressed with Peter," defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said Wednesday. "Not only what he does on the field, but the way he carries himself in the hallways. When you stand in front of them in the unit meeting, you can see all the faces. He's focused. That's a good thing, especially for a lineman. I thought he made a couple good plays [Wednesday], so we're hopeful for him."
The Trenches™️ pic.twitter.com/vRoIsbwc7j
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) June 1, 2026
In a non-padded practice in early June, it's sometimes hard to see how well an interior lineman is doing against a veteran offensive line that features standouts such as center Creed Humphrey, a three-time All-Pro, and right guard Trey Smith, a two-time Pro Bowler.
One observation that has been easier for everyone on the team to see is the first-step burst and quickness Thomas has when he attacks from the edge.
"He's got a lot of juice," Karlaftis said of Thomas. "He's a body type that we really haven't had as much of around here. He's very fluid, he's very athletic, he's very explosive and he loves football."
In the interior and on the edge, the Chiefs realized last season that they had to acquire players with speed and dynamic ability in the trenches to better support Karlaftis and Jones.
One veteran who has one of the best viewpoints to observe Woods and Thomas is linebacker Drue Tranquill.
"Those guys are hungry, high-energy guys," Tranquill said. "The addition of Peter Woods, just seeing his tenacity, his get-off and what he brings. [With] R Mason Thomas, his ability to dip and lean and get off the ball.
"We were messing around in the meetings [last week] and Coach [Reid] was like, 'I want to see George [Karlaftis] and R Mason lining up in a get-off drill.' I think [Thomas] has great get-off."
Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen compared Thomas to Cliff Avril, whom he coached with the Detroit Lions in 2008. In his 10-year career, Avril recorded 74 sacks, 29 forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries. Thomas, who is listed at 6-foot-2 and 249 pounds, is smaller than the usual edge rusher that Spagnuolo prefers, but he collected 22 sacks in 23 games the past two seasons at Oklahoma.
One metric to measure the success of the Chiefs' pass rush in 2026 is if these linemen can far surpass the 21.2 sacks from last year's group.
"It's very simple: When you get to the quarterback, you have a lot better chance of winning," Cullen said. "A lot of it is finishing [the sack attempt]. The opportunities that we had as a group to finish the quarterback were there. We didn't get it done. We've got to do a better job of that -- and we will."
Watch out for Woo! @35Pwoo pic.twitter.com/plaCMUobc3
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) May 3, 2026
Perhaps the biggest disappointment with the pass rush last season was the stagnation of Karlaftis' progress. Before last year, the four-year veteran's production continued to ascend, including in the postseason. In the final eight games in 2025, Karlaftis recorded only one sack and just eight quarterback hits. For much of that stretch, Karlaftis was on the Chiefs' injury report for a right thumb.
Cullen revealed Wednesday the severity of Karlaftis' injury.
"He broke his hand," Cullen said. "He had a broken hand and didn't miss a game [until the season finale]. He had to have surgery during the bye week. That was his power hand. He's healthy and excited going into his fifth year. I'm excited for him to have a great year."
Though much of the attention this offseason has been on him, Jones and rookies Woods and Thomas, Karlaftis is bullish, too, on the development of fellow defensive end Ashton Gillotte. A second-year player, Gillotte could be given a wider role under Spagnuolo that allows him, as a rotational defender, to showcase his versatility, whether rushing from the edge or the interior. Such a role would allow Gillotte to be on the field more than the 485 snaps (47%) he played last season.
"I told him this last year: You're going to see a big jump in your game from your rookie year to your second year," Karlaftis said of Gillotte. "It's like the biggest leap you can take. I remember myself was, like, 'Woah, this is almost like a different game, if you will.'
"A lot is being asked of him right now, but he's ready for it. I'm really happy for him."
