The Kansas City Chiefs are looking to turn things around this season after 2025 ended with the worst record of the Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes era. To their credit, the Chiefs have overhauled the roster (just as many fans were begging for).
With so much of the roster turning over, there are lots of questions that still have to be answered as Kansas City heads into its mandatory minicamp next week. On Monday, we looked at 5 massive questions on offense, and today it's time to look at the defensive side of the ball.
While the defensive side of the ball may have just as many questions, the ones they have are just as big as any of the questions on the offensive side of the ball. So let's take a look at the three biggest defensive questions heading into mandatory minicamp.
3. Which linebacker will win Leo Chenal's former spot?
The Kansas City Chiefs lost a key part of their defense when starting SAM linebacker Leo Chenal signed with the Washington Commanders in free agency. Many thought that the Chiefs might look to draft his replacement, but Kansas City ended up prioritizing other positions. That means that the Chiefs will be looking to fill their opening with guys that were already on the roster last season.
The biggest name of the contenders is Jeffrey Bassa, whom K.C. drafted last season. However, Bassa was viewed as more of a coverage/sideline-to-sideline prospect as opposed to the type of linebacker that takes on blockers head-on and focuses on stopping the run.
Cooper McDonald is probably best physically suited for that role, but he was an undrafted rookie last season with limited playing time. Then there is Jack Cochrane, who has the most experience in Kansas City's system, but he hasn't looked great in his opportunities and may also struggle with the physical demands of the SAM position.
2. How will the cornerback depth chart play out?
The Chiefs lost both of their starting cornerbacks to the Los Angeles Rams (who also landed Myles Garrett this week). The Chiefs didn't waste much time looking to make a big move to fill part of that roster hole by using their early 1st round draft pick on Mansoor Delane. It would be shocking if Delane weren't one of the Chiefs' starting outside corners from day one, but how things play out at the position after Delane could be interesting.
Kristian Fulton is a proven quality starting corner when healthy, but his health has been a major issue. If he is healthy to start the season, will he be Kansas City's other starter outside? The other major contender is Nohl Williams, who looked great when given the chance to play as a rookie last year. The slot corner job is also up for grabs, and K.C. has two strong contenders there too. Free agent signing Kader Kohou was a quality starting slot corner for the Dolphins before missing last season with an injury. The Chiefs used their fourth-round draft pick on Jadon Canady, who is a slot option, too.
Cornerback is obviously an incredibly important position for any defense, but Steve Spagnuolo really puts a lot of pressure on his corners to hold up one-on-one. K.C. has a lot of options, including players not listed above like Kaiir Elam, Chris Roland-Wallace, and Kevin Knowles, but how the playing time and depth chart end up is still a huge question.
1. Can the Chiefs get NFL quality edge play opposite of George Karlaftis?
There is no question bigger than if the Chiefs can get better edge play and pass rush upside opposite of George Karlaftis. The Chiefs beefed up their interior defensive line with the signing of Khyiris Tonga and the drafting of Peter Woods, but the outside of the defensive line is still a big question. They drafted R Mason Thomas to be a legit outside pass rush threat, but he's a lot different than what Spags typically uses at edge, so how they utilize him is still a question that has to be answered.
If R Mason Thomas doesn't set the world on fire as a rookie, the Chiefs really only have former draft picks Ashton Gillotte and Felix Anudike-Uzomah to fill that role. FAU has been a bust thus far as a former 1st round draft pick, and this season may be his last chance to prove he belongs in the NFL. Gillotte looked like he could be a solid contributor as part of a rotation, but if the Chiefs have to rely on him as a full-time pass rusher, they could be in trouble. How this spot plays out will have a big impact on just how successful K.C.'s defense can be this season.
So there you have it, Chiefs fans: the 3 biggest questions facing K.C.'s defense as they enter mandatory minicamp. Do you agree with these three questions? Are you feeling good about how the Chiefs will answer them? Here's to hoping that minicamp starts to get us some answers.
Add us as a preferred source on Google