The Kansas City Chiefs are gambling on their own young safeties
By Grant Tuttle
With the Chiefs passing on experienced safeties, the team is showing faith in their own young talent. Are they wise to do this?
The Kansas City Chiefs fan base collectively gave a sigh of relief when Eric Berry returned to practice earlier this offseason. Now, Berry’s heel soreness has returned and it has many of us panicking.
In addition, Daniel Sorensen has sustained a tibia and knee injury that will hold him out of competition for an extended period of time. This has led to the speculation that the Chiefs may be interested in adding depth at the safety position. However, this has never materialized.
Eric Murray, Leon McQuay, and Armani Watts have seen the majority of the reps during the preseason. Of these young players, Murray is the only one that has seen considerable playing time in an NFL season. (McQuay played in one game in 2017.)
Last season, many were calling for new safeties because of the struggles in the middle of the field during Berry’s absence. However, the organization seems to like their young talent at the position. Here are a few of the upsides and downsides of what these players bring, starting with the downsides.