Early 53-man roster predictions for the Kansas City Chiefs after the 2024 NFL Draft

LINEBACKERS

Players: Drue Tranquill, Nick Bolton, Leo Chenal, Jack Cochrane, Cam Jones

The loss of Willie Gay hurts the depth and overall talent of this unit but the fact that it's not so crowded with players who deserve starting reps means that some players might grow more than we think. We're looking at you, Leo Chenal,

Chenal broke through in a big way in the postseason, so even though Gay is in New Orleans these days, the truth is that someone was going to lose playing time in order for the Chiefs to see just how high Chenal's ceiling can be. That signing just made it easier for all parties involved.

Tranquill is also back on a multi-year deal after his first year in K.C. made it obvious that he was made to play for this franchise. He was a revelation in myriad ways and his presence alongside Bolton makes this unit run smoothly. Speaking of Bolton, he remains the leader in the heart of it all.

The backups here could get interesting because there are some intriguing options as rookie free agents alongside holdovers like Jack Cochrane, Cole Christiansen, and Cam Jones. We're going with the former and the latter, however, and believe Christiansen will be on the PS.