Jaden Hicks has not made the leap. Or at the very least, he's not earned the trust of coaches. Two years into his rookie deal, that's a real problem for the Kansas City Chiefs.
In Sunday's game against the Houston Texans, a stomach punch of a loss that sent the Chiefs to their first losing record in December since 2012, Hicks played only 11 total snaps—or 16 percent of all defensive reps. Given the opportunity before him, both in the bigger picture at the safety position and with the short-term needs in the secondary, Hicks' inability to get on the field has been a real concern for a defense that could use him.
There's no spot on the Chiefs roster that best exhibits the draft-and-develop philosophy that powers the NFL's best teams, so it was natural to expect Hicks to be the next man up following the departure of Justin Reid in free agency. For the first time since Steve Spagnuolo took over as defensive coordinator, the Chiefs were going into a season without a proven veteran leader at safety. Three seasons of Tyrann Mathieu gave way to three more years of Reid. This year, however, the Chiefs leaned into a younger, cheaper cadre of safeties—and they've been paying the price for it ever since.
Bryan Cook is the established leader in the safety room, a fine performer and former second-round choice who has blossomed into a solid defender. While he's in a contract season, however, he's still on a rookie deal, and the steep drop from there is tough to watch week after week. Chamarri Conner is another capable safety who can play high and low, but the Chiefs keep forcing him into roles that stretch his skill set. Even then, he's a year less experienced than Cook. Then comes Hicks in the pipeline. Together, the trio was expected to serve as the core group of safeties in 2025.
Jaden Hicks' inability to find the field with such a golden opportunity before him is costing all parties involved.
The only problem is that Hicks hasn't stepped into the role carved out for him coming into the season. His 11 reps on Sunday aren't even his lowest total of the season, and it's telling that the Chiefs are leaning on him less as the year progresses. In five out of his last eight games, Hicks has played 30 percent of defensive snaps or less, including a season-low 4 snaps against the Buffalo Bills in Week 9.
Last winter, Hicks played 65 percent of snaps in last postseason across three playoff games for the Chiefs in a run toward a historic three-peat. It made sense that K.C. would lean on him heavily in his second season after Reid signed with the New Orleans Saints, and the draft came and went without a single safety addition. It even looked that way as HIcks played 56 percent of snaps in the first half of the '25 season.
But there were warning signs along the way. He played sparingly against the Detroit Lions in Week 6 and then came the loss to Buffalo. Christian Roland-Wallace's development coincided with this downtick in snaps for Hicks, which is fine just as long as some younger player is earning Spagnuolo's trust. But then came another golden opportunity for Hicks, only to see him passed over once again.
Roland-Wallace is now on injured reserve with a back injury, but he has not played since Week 12. But instead of Hicks finding his rhythm with a wide-open window for plenty of playing time, veteran Mike Edwards has taken his place. Edwards' intelligence makes him an asset for such a young secondary, but his athletic limitations are an easy weakness for opposing quarterbacks to target. Even so, Edwards played over 50 percent of snaps against the Texans.
The Chiefs have undoubtedly missed Reid's presence in the secondary in '25, but contending teams have to wave goodbye to good players every year. Painful departures are the cost of staying on top (given salary cap constraints that won't allow them to retain every player). And for years, the Chiefs have proven they can coach up young defensive backs to take over when it's time for another player to leave. This year, however, Hicks' inability to seize the moment has cost both him and the Chiefs defense.
It's not too late for Hicks to blossom as hoped, but the discouraging trend points to more outside help coming in 2026.