Veteran defensive lineman Zacch Pickens was never expected to be the Kansas City Chiefs‘ most important pass-rusher next season, but most pundits thought he would at least get the opportunity to compete for a spot on the team’s 53-man roster in training camp.
Instead, Pickens was among the veterans who found themselves on the outside looking in when Kansas City’s front office signed three first-year prospects after impressive tryouts at the Chiefs’ rookie camp.
Luckily for Pickens, the New York Giants were in need of some help on their defensive line, and moved quickly to claim the former third-round pick shortly after Kansas City elected to waive him.
We have claimed DL Zacch Pickens off waivers
Details: https://t.co/GvwepTJak7pic.twitter.com/T7OBZiGmOx
— New York Giants (@Giants) May 5, 2026
While every team in the NFL could use some help with their defensive lines, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach recently addressed Kansas City’s front four by selecting former Clemson Tigers standout Peter Woods and Oklahoma Sooners sack-master R Mason Thomas with the No. 29 and No. 40 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft, respectively.
This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Zacch Pickens: Former Chiefs DL claimed by Giants after rookie camp