LINEBACKERS
It was only a couple of years ago that the idea of the linebacker position being one of the deepest and most talent on the Chiefs defense would have been laughable. For years, linebacker actually felt (and played) like the thinnest position on the roster, with even fringe players and marginal talents (relatively speaking, of course) were earning starter's reps, giving opposing coordinators obvious parts to attack in their game plan.
Those days are long gone. These days, the Chiefs employ one of the most dynamic young linebacker rooms in the entire NFL. It took a few years, but general manager Brett Veach ensured the changing of the guard at the position by investing successive day two picks from three straight drafts, giving the depth chart a new ceiling they'd been lacking for years.
The transition began with Willie Gay, Jr., an uber-athletic linebacker with a big frame with the potential to become a well-rounded playmaker. To date, he's been hampered by injuries and a suspension, so Gay has yet to break out as anticipated and yet his level of play has still elevated the entire squad. He's solid in coverage and can also blitz, but it's his range that's second-to-none.
Nick Bolton is the star of the show in the Chiefs defense as a former Mizzou kid who was the second-round pick in 2021 and immediately became the same sort of thumper at the pro level that he was in the collegiate ranks. Bolton's instincts are laughably good, which allows him to make up for any athleticism concerns coming out of college. He's the leader of the unit as the team's primary communicator, and he regularly makes a home in the opponent's backfield.
Leo Chenal was the third straight draft pick invested at the position back in 2022 and it will be interesting to see how he's developed after a year learning the defense. His tape shows he's the best attacker of the bunch here, with an ability to shed blocks to get after the passer and/or stop the run. He's known as a liability in coverage, so that's the growth curve, but he ended the season well with a sack and TFL in Super Bowl LVII.
To this mix, the Chiefs added Drue Tranquill in free agency on a one-year deal that only complicates the entire picture at linebacker. Tranquill is a smart veteran player who just wrapped up his rookie deal with the Chargers. In his span in L.A., Tranquill took over as the same communicator that Bolton has been in K.C. He's also an all-around talent who is a plus-performer against the run and against the pass. He also had 5 sacks last year, which means Steve Spagnuolo could use him on designed blitzes.
The addition of Tranquill to the mix likely means a bit less playing time than Chenal envisioned coming into his second season. It's also competition for Gay. But overall, the Chiefs have a quartet of starting-caliber talent with a nice overlapping set of skills that should keep defenses guessing as to how the unit will be deployed on any particular play. It's now the strongest area of the Chiefs defense and that's a sea change from just a few years ago.