Khalen

Saunders

The Chiefs drafted Saunders in the third round in 2019 but never managed to develop him beyond a rotational player. He did, however, have a career year in 2022, totaling 3.5 sacks and a trio of TFLs. The Saints’ defensive line has been ravaged by departing free agents this offseason. Saunders hasn’t produced at the level of their losses so far, but he is a solid upside bet for a team in need of talent in the trenches.

The Chiefs’ current 53-man roster is amongst the most healthy in the league.

Saunders played eight snaps in a rotational role before going down. He doesn’t need surgery but is likely headed to IR.

A four-year starter at Western Illinois, Saunders recorded 18 sacks, 34.5 tackles for loss, and four forced fumbles during his college career, earning first-team FCS All-American honors as a senior. He should fill a rotational role as a rookie but has the long-term upside to be a quality interior rusher.

Saunders (6’0/324) started all four years on the Leathernecks’ defensive line, graduating with 18 sacks, 34.5 TFLs, and four forced fumbles and earning first-team FCS All-American as a senior. Saunders showed NFL-level athleticism in Indy with 46th-percentile SPARQ results, hustling out a 5.02 forty and pumping 27 reps on the bench. Built low with massive girth, Saunders is surprisingly twitchy for his size and stands to benefit greatly from an NFL weight room. Albeit an unlikely rookie starter, Saunders offers developmental upside as an interior pocket pusher.