The Kansas City Chiefs are doing homework on defensive tackles in the event of more injuries or struggles.

Right now, the Chiefs are dealing with an injury to star defensive tackle Chris Jones and another injury to a key rotational piece in Xavier Williams. Williams has been placed on IR and Jones is looking like he’ll miss his second week with a groin injury. This has caused the Chiefs to seek out some free-agent DTs in the event they suffer another injury.

The Chiefs already signed DT Terrell McClain and worked out DT Earl Mitchell last week. Now, they’ve looked at a few more options in free agency. According to the NFL’s latest transaction report, the Chiefs reported two workouts of veteran defensive tackles. Mike Pennel Jr. and Justin Ellis are both big run-stopping defensive linemen who are each entering their sixth year in the league.

Pennel Jr. joined the NFL with the Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2014. He’s spent time with the Jets and most recently the Patriots, but was released in August. In 2018 with the Jets, Pennel Jr. was a rotational piece along the defensive line. He appeared in all of their games that season and recorded 27 tackles and a ball batted.

Ellis joined the league as a fourth-round draft pick by the Chiefs’ rival Oakland Raiders in 2014. He was placed on injured reserve prior to the start of the 2019 season with a knee injury. Ultimately he was waived from injured reserve with an injury settlement and allowed to seek other opportunities.

Pennel Jr. is listed at 6-feet-4 and 334 pounds and Ellis is listed at 6-feet-2 and 331 pounds. One way to stop the run is getting some more big bodies upfront.

It doesn’t appear that any signings for the Chiefs are imminent which suggests that the Chiefs were just doing their homework. They’ve seen a lot of attrition on the defensive line already and with Derrick Nnadi appearing on this week’s injury report with an elbow injury, they’re very close to being dangerously thin at the defensive line position again.