The Kansas City Chiefs have had plenty of departures this season as they look to retool after losing in the Super Bowl. Joe Thuney, DeAndre Hopkins, and Justin Reid are just three of the players who have switched teams in free agency and all of them left on amicable terms.
But in the case of another Chiefs defensive free agent, the move is being labeled as a new beginning as he believes that he was misused during his time in Kansas City.
Former Chiefs defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton was a major departure this offseason after signing a three-year, $45 million contract with the Carolina Panthers last month. The 26-year-old used a breakout 2024 campaign where he registered a career-high 6.5 sacks to get his big payday but he also believes there’s more to come after the Chiefs didn’t use him properly over the past five seasons.
Former Chiefs DT Tershawn Wharton Believes He Was Misused in Kansas City
According to The Athletic’s Joe Person, Wharton said he had to play out of position as a pass-rushing nose tackle during his time in Kansas City. While he also said he can be effective anywhere, he also believes he can be dominant as a three-tech defensive tackle.
The difference between the nose and the three-tech on the defensive line has to do with their positioning and their roles in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. The nose tech is usually lined up over the center and is primarily focused on stopping the run while a three-tech is more focused on penetrating the offensive line and getting into the backfield to break up plays.
Each defense has a different directive for their defensive tackles, but Wharton’s usage fits the standard definition. He had failed to register more than two sacks in a season prior to last year’s breakout and often played next to Chris Jones in pass-rushing situations.
Wharton’s effectiveness against the run may have also signaled some misuse as Pro Football Focus charted a career-high 51.5 run defense grade in 2022 that slipped to 46.9 and 48.3 over the past two seasons. He fared much better as a pass-rusher, however, and racked up career-highs with 42 pressures and 514 pass-rushing snaps.
This problem won’t exist in Carolina’s defense. Shy Tuttle was a disastrous free agent signing and failed at the three-tech. While Derrick Brown was a natural three-tech coming out of Auburn, he was used across the defensive line under Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero for the past two seasons. Brown is also an elite run stuffer posting grades of 80.6 and 90.0 in 2022 and 2023 before suffering a torn meniscus in the season opener last season.
Wharton’s departure creates some depth issues in the trenches next season. But the Chiefs can work on finding a better fit at nose tackles as they look to get back on top of the NFL in 2025.
