Justin Reid says practicing against Chiefs offense makes defense better

Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid says it’s helping a young defense to practice against Patrick Mahomes and such a potent offense.

When the National Football League revealed its regular-season schedule for the 2022 season, the conversation around the slate for the Kansas City Chiefs was about its difficulty. Each team tends to rise up to the challenge of playing the Chiefs each and every week as a sort of mini-Super Bowl, as if a potential victory over Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in any given week is a major victory for the opponent.

As the Chiefs’ defense begins to come together as a very young unit in the midst of an offseason of considerable turnover, it’s that same historic offensive unit—and specifically their former MVP of a quarterback—that will allow that unit to be all the better even in their first year playing together.

Reid spoke to reporters from Chiefs’ offseason training activities late last week about the state of the defense and how he was adjusting after first coming over from the Houston Texans this spring in free agency. Reid signed a three-year deal worth over $30 million and was a clear replacement for Tyrann Mathieu in the secondary, He stated:

"“Not only do we have, like, a hundred plays that we’re able to game plan, pick and choose which weapons we want to use against opponents coming in the future, but also taking advantage of opportunities like this where you get to play against our offense, which is undoubtedly one of the most firepower-packed offenses in the league. When you get to play against those guys every day, it makes the whole team better.”"

Mathieu isn’t the only elder player gone from the Chiefs’ defense at this point. Anthony Hitchens was released earlier in the offseason from the team’s linebacking corps, and Melvin Ingram did not return after a mid-season trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Each player was a key emotional player and core leader on and off the field, but the Chiefs moved on from all three.

THe Chiefs did, however, sign up some exciting young players in the recent draft, including first-round picks cornerback Trent McDuffie and pass rusher Goerge Karlaftis. Linebacker Leo Chenal has also joined the mix from the draft along with free agent Jermaine Carter. Given the already young core in the second and third levels, While other teams enjoy the challenge of playing the Chiefs’ offense, the defense is also a unit that prospers from doing so, too.