Five Chiefs who shouldn’t be back in 2023
By Jacob Milham
Safety Juan Thornhill
A lot of things are possible during training camp, but safety Juan Thornhill has set All-Pro expectations for his 2022 season. All signs say he fell well short of that.
The Chiefs needed Thornhill’s presence in a defensive backfield with several rookies or new additions. 2022 was Thornhill’s first season without Tyrann Mathieu, and the transition was far from smooth. His counterpart, Justin Reid, performed better in 2022, albeit with less flash. Thornhill did have three interceptions this season, but allowed a career-high five touchdowns in coverage. Add on his tackle issues, and Thornhill is far from a sure thing moving forward. Even Thornhill admitted he has looked past the 2022 season, ahead of the Super Bowl.
"“Honestly, at first I was thinking about [free agency],” Thornhill said. “Thinking, like, you have to play well so you can go out and impress these teams and the Chiefs. But when I came to the second half of the season, I stopped thinking about free agency. … I don’t have to put that much stress on it. When free agency gets here, it’ll be here.”"
Thornhill looked more confident in 2022, but his long-term outlook in Kansas City is not bright. Thornhill’s rookie contract is up, and his regular season performance in 2022 does not warrant a payday from the Chiefs.
It is worth noting that Thornhill was lights out in the Super Bowl, logging 74 snaps and allowing two receptions in coverage. He can stand out on the biggest stage, but the Chiefs should hesitate to pay Thornhill based off one game.