The Kansas City Chiefs have represented the AFC in most of the last six Super Bowls, with big-name players such as quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce leading the way. The Chiefs legitimately have multiple players and a head coach who are some of the best in National Football League history at their respective positions.

Over the last five years, the Chiefs have benefitted from having one of the better rosters in the NFL, with arguably the second-best quarterback in league history leading the way. This leaves little room for lesser-known players to get much recognition unless they do something extraordinarily well or something massively wrong.

Defensive lineman Tershawn Wharton has done the former, as the veteran defensive lineman has gradually grown into his own since arriving in Kansas City. While he only played sparingly during his first few seasons in the league, he played significantly more snaps this season. He registered career highs in sacks, tackles for loss, passes defended, and solo tackles.

Zoltan Buday of Pro Football Focus recently listed a few players he believes are some of the most underrated defensive free agents hitting the free agent market this season. Buday noted that Wharton’s production and his grade as a run defender increased, making him a valuable free agent this summer.

“Wharton grew more important for Kansas City’s defense over time, playing a career-high 780 snaps in his fifth season with the Chiefs this past year,” Buday said. “And while he has not necessarily stood out as a run defender, he became a solid pass-rusher from the interior. Wharton’s 71.9 PFF pass-rushing grade in 2024 ranked 21st among 95 qualifying interior defenders, while his 10.5% pass-rush win rate placed him 26th.

“Wharton saved the best for last, as he earned a career-high 90.1 PFF overall grade on the biggest stage, Super Bowl 59. That mark tied for 23rd among 1,590 single-game performances throughout the 2024 NFL season.”

The Chiefs have many decisions this offseason as they try to make another Super Bowl run next season. While Wharton may not be the most critical player on the roster, he will surely have a home in Kansas City or elsewhere.

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