“Tonga’s 24-tackle stat line from 2025 may not jump off the page, but the Kansas City Chiefs should feel quite comfortable that they landed a highly productive player who will make his presence known to opposing offensive linemen,” Kay wrote.

“With his immense strength and leverage, Tonga overpowers and displaces offensive linemen with ease,” Kay continued. “While he may not have been the high-profile edge-rusher signing that Chiefs fans were hoping for, Tonga will be a major asset in the defensive trenches and will help Kansas City return to prominence in 2026.”

Khyiris Tonga Key Piece for AFC Champion New England Patriots Last Season

GettyDefensive tackle Khyiris Tonga, formerly of the New England Patriots.

Tonga was an elite run defender with the Minnesota Vikings in 2022.

His player grade in run defense since then, per Pro Football Focus, has been merely average. However, Aaron Schatz of ESPN offered an advanced statistic that shows Tonga was well above-average as a run-stuffer for the AFC champion New England Patriots last season.

“This was a player the Patriots wanted to bring back, but they couldn’t get an extension finished during the regular season,” Schatz wrote in March. “Tonga was an important part of the New England run defense as a nose tackle in 2025. He had a stop rate of 83%; in other words, 83% of his run tackles prevented a successful play for the offense. The league average for interior linemen was around 71% last season.”

Chiefs Added to Interior by Selecting Defensive Tackle Peter Woods in 1st Round of NFL Draft

GettyFormer Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods.

Tonga will join superstar Chris Jones in the defensive tackle room next season, as will rookie Peter Woods of Clemson after the Chiefs selected him No. 29 overall in Round 1 of last month’s draft.

“Many analysts believe Woods can improve throughout his rookie contract, and the Chiefs appear to agree,” Nate Taylor of ESPN wrote. “With star lineman Chris Jones at age 32, Woods should find a willing mentor in the Chiefs’ best defensive player. Woods should see plenty of playing time early during his rookie season.”

Taylor doesn’t believe Woods will start, but he should see action behind Jones and Tonga in a much-improved position group.

“The Chiefs don’t need Woods to be an immediate starter, especially with Jones and Khyiris Tonga atop the depth chart,” Taylor continued. “A successful rookie campaign for Woods will be if he can improve throughout the season and become a reliable contributor within the rotation, which should allow Jones not to have to be on the field all the time.”