Ranking KC Chiefs biggest injury concerns heading into Super Bowl LVII

5. Willie Gay

While the offensive needs might seem too great to ignore here, the truth is that we’ve slotted the rest of them lower than this because the Chiefs linebacking corps gets rather thin very quickly if the team’s top two linebackers are compromised in any way.

So far this season, we’ve seen a significant difference in the defense’s capabilities when either Nick Bolton or Willie Gay Jr. are forced off the field for any length of time. While Leo Chenal has enticing potential and Darius Harris has filled in nicely as a former undrafted free agent, the truth is that the Chiefs could use another decent investment here to round out the corps (in the future). For now, that means a significant burden of responsibility falls on Gay to be healthy and ready for whatever the Eagles have planned in the second level in the Super Bowl.

Coverage in the heart of the defense has been an Achilles’ heel, defensively speaking, for K.C. all season and the Eagles would be fools not to exploit it once again. The Chiefs have gotten better at helping in coverage with enhanced safety play down the stretch, so they aren’t without options, but a healthy Willie Gay makes a significant difference in what Spags’ unit can cover (or not).

Given the running ability of Jalen Hurts and his deep stable of options, the Chiefs can only hope Gay feels a lot better in the days ahead.