In my final installment of stat projections for the 2016 Kansas City Chiefs defense, I go after the team’s defensive backs.
Last year, this group flourished at times, but also struggled with consistency at other times.
They also had the honor of boasting one of the best young cornerbacks in the game in 2015 DROY award winner Marcus Peters. Peters was the superstar of the group, after he was picked as the team’s first round selection the 2015 NFL Draft.
The 23-year-old phenom picked off eight passes and racked up 60 total tackles in his 16 starts to go along with a league high 26 passes defensed. Although I expect Peters to have another solid year in 2016, I see his stats going down some, especially in the interception category, mainly due to respect from opposing offenses from not throwing in his area as much as he is quickly emerging as one of the best young corners in the game.
Starting with Peters this year will either be former Rice University standout Phillip Gaines or second-year man Steven Nelson, after the departure of last year’s starter Sean Smith via free agency this past offseason.
Gaines showed some flashes of brilliance in his rookie campaign two seasons ago, while Nelson had just eight tackles in limited action last season. With both being thrown more into the fire this year, I expect each player to improve their stats and production this season compared to last year.
Switching over to the safety position, veterans Eric Berry and Ron Parker will likely be the two men that will be the starters at those spots when the Chargers roll into Arrowhead come week one in around a month. Berry is currently holding out of training camp due to he and the Chiefs brass not agreeing on a long-term contract yet for this season.
However, he is expected to eventually be back on KC’s roster before the start of week one and is also coming off a solid 2015 campaign. Parker will be playing in his 6th NFL season this year and has started 31 games for the team over the past two years, playing well for the most part during that span. I fully expect both of these guys to have similar statistical years to what they had in 2015 for this year.
Next: Stat projections