The Kansas City Chiefs acted early when it came to defensive end Mike Danna, whom they released in February this year. The team needed to free up some cap space, and the DE was in the second year of his $24 million contract. It is only now that Danna got a shot at continuing his NFL career, as the Chiefs’ arch-rivals seem to be interested in picking him up.

“Free agent DE Mike Danna recently visited the Buffalo Bills, per sources,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on X. 

Danna has been with the Chiefs his whole career, after being drafted in the fifth round of the 2020 draft. His best seasons came in 2023 and 2024, hauling in a total of 91 tackles and 10 sacks across those two years. 2025, however, has been a down year for him. Danna managed to get only 25 tackles, one sack, one interception, and one pass deflection.

His exit from the Chiefs was expected, especially because the defensive line was holding strong with stars like Chris Jones and George Karlaftis. But Danna was still a talented player. He logged nearly 2,100 pass-rush snaps over these six years. His overall pressure rate is only 8.1%, but it interestingly goes up to 10 when zeroing in on the times he’s faced the Bills.

Standing at 6’2” and weighing 260 pounds, the power defensive end isn’t exactly a flashy player. He will probably serve as a stable rotational defender who can excel during crucial third-down passing situations. Despite his low total tackle numbers last season, his fundamentals remain elite. He missed less than 10% of his tackle attempts. 

This means he can be a pretty good asset to train the Bills quarterback, Josh Allen. After all, this is a side that has regularly been to the postseason as regularly as the Chiefs. Even though Danna is no stranger to the joy of winning a Super Bowl, Buffalo is better positioned than Kansas City to get a crack at this coveted game. 

How can Mike Danna be a good fit for Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills? 

Even though Danna isn’t the pass-rush expert that the Bills need, he’s someone who can stand his ground against the run. And that’s a value that the Bills cannot overlook as they try to improve their defensive line. But if he decides to join the Buffalo Bills, he can beef up their defense alongside the outside linebacker, Greg Rousseau. 

“The former fifth-round pick might be the single favorite player of [defensive coordinator] Steve Spagnuolo, who will undoubtedly be sad to see the veteran defensive end released from the team,” Matt Connor told BuffaLowDown. “That said, Danna sets the edge well and is a stout run defender. He’s extremely reliable and a true overlooked glue guy. Every depth chart needs 1-2 of these guys outside, which makes Danna an asset for any team.”  

The Bills need to make sure their pass rush remains unchanged after losing star DEs AJ Epenesa and Joey Bosa. They have contributed to 25 quarterback hits and 7.5 sacks. The tea has a rookie star in TJ Parker, but having a veteran like Mike Danna addresses this problem immediately.

On top of that, the Bills have recently welcomed a new defensive coordinator, Jim Leonhard. Coming from the Denver Broncos, we can expect him to deploy an aggressive pass rush in the games. And that’s where Danna can outshine the other prospects, and possibly replace veteran TJ Sanders, the Bills’ current defensive end. He can also stand strong in the Bills’ new’ 3-4 base defense. 

By bolstering the defensive trenches, the Bills actively protect their championship chances and give Josh Allen the essential support needed to conquer the AFC. Maybe this is the year the QB finally gets to lay his hands on the Lombardi Trophy, with Mike Danna’s help.