Kansas City Chiefs acquire Derrick Nnadi from New York Jets in exchange for draft picks; Nnadi returns to his former team.

After seven years with the Kansas City Chiefs, defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi is heading east to join the New York Jets. The trade, announced on August 25, 2025, marks a new chapter for Nnadi as he competes for reps in the Jets' defensive tackle rotation.

Drafted at No. 75 overall in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Nnadi proved to be a reliable run-stopper during his tenure with the Chiefs. He played in all 17 regular-season games each of the past four seasons and missed just one game over his entire seven-year tenure.

Nnadi's move to the Jets sees him returning to a defensive scheme he's comfortable with and personnel he knows well. The Jets have bolstered their defensive front with recent additions of Jowon Briggs from the Cleveland Browns and Harrison Phillips from the Minnesota Vikings, as well as acquiring Nnadi from the Chiefs.

The trade includes future NFL Draft picks, allowing the Jets to make room for new additions to their defensive front. The move also frees up over $1 million in cap space for the Chiefs ahead of the 2025 season.

Nnadi's one-year deal with the Jets contains minimal guarantees. Last season, he saw his role reduced, playing a career-low 215 defensive snaps and recording 11 tackles with the Chiefs. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranks at No. 206 out of 219 rated defensive tackles after last season.

However, with the Jets, Nnadi is projected to get more work alongside Byron Cowart and Quinnen Williams at defensive tackle. He will compete for reps against Omarr Norman-Lott, Jerry Tillery, Marlon Tuipulotu, and others in the Jets' defensive tackle rotation.

Notably, Nnadi played alongside defensive star Chris Jones in recent years with the Chiefs. However, the Chiefs chose not to re-sign Nnadi as a free agent, leading to his departure from the team.

On August 25, 2025, Nnadi rejoined the Kansas City Chiefs as part of a trade deal with the New York Jets. The details of the draft picks exchanged were not specified in the available information. The trade of Nnadi to the Jets results in the Jets taking on $168,000 in contract.

As Nnadi embarks on this new journey with the New York Jets, fans and analysts alike are eager to see how he will perform in his new environment.

Kansas City Chiefs acquire Derrick Nnadi from New York Jets in exchange for draft picks; Nnadi returns to his former team.