Defensive end Janarius Robinson was looking for a fresh start. He believes he’s found one in Kansas City. The 26-year-old free agent signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs, and he was officially introduced to local media earlier this week.
"So when free agency started, my agent was in contact with the Chiefs throughout the whole process," Robinson said. "And it came down to last weekend. We came to an agreement that that was the best place for me to be at this moment."
A fourth-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2021 out of Florida State, Robinson was lauded as a physical specimen coming into the NFL. Standing 6'5" and weighing 260 pounds with an 86-inch wingspan, Robinson brought length and strength to the pro level. However, he missed his rookie season due to injury and the Vikings were quick to move on from their draft investment.
The Chiefs could provide the perfect change of scenery for Janarius Robinson's skill set.
Robinson went on to join the Philadelphia Eagles' practice squad before earning a spot with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he finally made his pro debut in 2023. Robinson played in six games that season as a rotational piece on the edge and made 10 appearances in 2024. However, he played sparingly with only 104 total defensive snaps on the year.
The Chiefs are undoubtedly enamored with Robinson's metrics as a lengthy pass rusher—a hallmark of the sort of edge players that Steve Spagnuolo likes to utilize. Robinson addressed questions about his fit with the Chiefs.
"I think that's a perfect fit, just to be long and athletic, be able to move and bend around the edge and also play around within the run game," Robinson said. "It means a lot to be a defensive end in this National Football League."
Robinson specifically spoke to playing for Spags and his new positional coach Joe Cullen, stating that their presence was another to want to sign with Kansas City.
"Just over their career and over the years of them being coaches, just seeing how the defense play in the scheme that they're in, I feel like I'm a perfect fit for that," he said. "So that's ultimately one of the reasons why I decided to come to the Chiefs, to just come out here and just play hard and do what I need to do and play within the defense to put myself in the best position at this point in my career."
While he only appeared in a handful of games with Las Vegas last year, Robinson remained a consistent presence on special teams and rotational packages. He says he’s now fully healthy and eager to compete for a roster spot on a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations.
"I'm 100% right now. I feel good. Body feels good. Healed up from, you know, nicks and bruises or whatever the case may be," he said. "I'm just ready to go to Kansas City and just show what I can do and, you know, put it all together and be the player that I can be."
Robinson helps deepen a defensive line group that also includes George Karlaftis, Mike Danna, Chris Jones, Charles Omenihu, Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Jerry Tillery, and more. If he can carve out a niche with his length and athleticism, Robinson could become one of this year’s low-risk, high-upside additions for Spagnuolo's defense.
