The Kansas City Chiefs have made a free agent signing to reinforce their weakest position group on the 90-man offseason roster.

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According to a report from NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Chiefs have re-signed DT Marlon Tuipulotu. Tuipulotu, a former sixth-round pick by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021, signed to the practice squad in Kansas City shortly after 53-man roster cuts last season.

That was only a procedural move, though. The team signed him to an active roster contract just days after, and he spent the entire 2024 NFL season on the 53-man roster.

While Tuipulotu was on the 53-man roster last season, that doesn’t mean he saw much action. He was a healthy scratch most weeks, appearing in just two games, with his lone start coming in Week 18 against the Denver Broncos.

He recorded four total tackles, including a tackle for loss in that game. In 14 games with the Eagles in the season prior, Tuipulotu had 22 total tackles, three tackles for loss, and two sacks.

What does the Chiefs’ decision to bring back Marlon Tuipulotu mean?

This move gives the Chiefs some competitive depth along the interior defensive line, which they desperately needed. The Chiefs made no moves along the interior defensive line besides adding DT Jerry Tillery in free agency.

Tuipulotu’s signing brings the total to five interior defensive linemen on the 90-man offseason roster. He has a season in the system, which should help raise the floor of the defensive line group in 2025.

It should be clear that this move doesn’t eliminate the team’s chances of adding interior defensive linemen through the 2025 NFL draft. They could still target one in the first round and later in the draft.

They’ll still need three to four more players through the draft and undrafted free agency to fill out the rest of the roster.