Chiefs Roster Evaluation: Linebacker remains a position of need

Here’s what we thought we knew and what we learned about the Kansas City Chiefs linebackers in 2019.

Going into the 2019 season, there wasn’t much buzz regarding the linebacker position. First off, the Chiefs haven’t really had a stud linebacker since Derrick Johnson. Adding to that, 2019 offseason’s major defensive overhaul didn’t see the Chiefs make any splashy signings at linebacker. They added a couple of rotational pieces in Darron Lee and Damien Wilson, but the core unit, which featured Anthony Hitchens and Reggie Ragland as mainstay starters, returned.

The key difference, instead of any flashy personnel changes, was that Steve Spagnuolo would be adjusting the defensive scheme from a 3-4 to a 4-3 base. This scheme change would demand a sense of gap control and discipline from the linebackers. Fans were curious whether certain linebackers would improve from Spags’ changes.

With this change in the scheme came hope for improvement. The 2018-19 Chiefs boasted a miserable defense. Their linebacker core has an especially rough season, highlighted by the loss to the Patriots in the AFC title game. This loss saw James White and Julian Edelman attack the middle of the field at will. Hitchens and Ragland were leaned on heavily, and their struggle to cover and stop the run was a major reason for the defensive struggles.

The hope was that certain players would benefit from Spagnuolo’s scheme change. Specifically, someone like Anthony Hitchens, an aggressive, down-hill attacker, might excel in Spags’ pressure-filled system. The scheme change meant that linebackers would be tasked with controlling the ground, staying disciplined, and following assignment.

Expectations, while high for the Chiefs in general, were low for the defense and linebackers.  The defense had to do just enough, and Patrick Mahomes and the offense would handle the rest.

The addition of Spagnuolo and defensive overhaul was faced with confusion at first. The overhaul seemed like the right move, but there was really no way of knowing. Most fans entered this season with similar expectations: The Chiefs would be great in spite of, not because of, their defense. The linebacking core, led by relative unknowns, became a microcosm of the mystery of the new season.