Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo called the first four games, the season’s first quarter, a settling-in period to learn his personnel and scheme. And while it’s been a strong start overall, this young unit definitely needs to step it up. Don’t be surprised if the rotation gets a major shake-up right after their bye week, with schematic changes potentially coming in Week 6 and beyond. So, let’s dive into the snap counts, straight from Pro Football Focus, and see what the film is really telling us.
The “Starters” And Who Is REALLY Getting After It
Looking at the top 11 players by defensive snaps through Week 4, a few things jump out. Linebacker Nick Bolton hasn’t left the field, playing 100% of snaps, which is wild. Safety Alohi Gilman has been a rock in the back end, snagging 97% of snaps. He’s been at free safety for 65% of his plays, letting guys like Jaden Hicks, Conner, and L’Jarius Sneed roam closer to the line and make plays. Speaking of Conner, he played a massive 75% of defensive snaps against the Las Vegas Raiders in his only game so far, a clear signal he’s gonna be a top-11 guy moving forward. Hicks, for his part, has played well enough to lock down a consistent starting role.
But then there’s the pass rush, and this is where it gets interesting, maybe a little frustrating. Chris Jones, the man himself, has been tasked with rushing the passer on a huge 69% of his snaps this year. He’s lined up over or outside the offensive tackle on 56% of his snaps, but the pressure? Only 8% of his pass-rush snaps, with just two quarterback hits and zero sacks. That’s a head-scratcher for a player of his caliber, right? Defensive ends R Mason Thomas (68%) and Felix Anudike-Uzomah (64%) have also been on pass-rush duty for most of their snaps. Thomas has stuck to the edge, but Anudike-Uzomah has made some noise in the B-gap on 47 snaps. His impact as an interior pass rusher has generated eight pressures over 84 pass-rush snaps, a solid 9.5%, and he’s got the third-most quarterback hits on the team with four. Clearly, he’s finding ways to be disruptive.
The Rotational Guys Ready To Step Up
Just outside that top-11 are some crucial rotational players who could see their roles expand once the tweaks hit. Defensive tackle Peter Woods is at 46% of snaps, nose tackle Khyiris Tonga is at 44%, cornerback Kristian Fulton at 42%, and defensive end Ashton Gillotte at 41%. Woods, especially, is making an impact. He leads the Chiefs in B-gap snaps with 95 through four weeks, aligning as the three-technique on 75% of his plays, a spot Jones has absolutely owned in Spagnuolo’s scheme. This tells you Woods is a factor on early downs, giving Jones a breather and still being a handful for blockers in both run and pass situations. In fact, 43% of Woods’ snaps have been against the run, and he’s logged three Stops, meaning tackles that stop a play cold. These guys are waiting in the wings, ready to prove they deserve more time.
What’s Next For This Defense?
So, with Spagnuolo saying he’s evaluating personnel, and the film showing some areas needing improvement, especially in consistent pass rush, it’s clear some big decisions are on the horizon. The Chiefs are heading into their bye, and when they come out for Week 6 and beyond, we’re all gonna be watching to see how those snap counts shift. Who gets more reps? Does Jones get moved around to spark that pressure rate? Will guys like Woods and Anudike-Uzomah get more opportunities to wreak havoc? This young unit needs to improve moving forward, and we’ll see if the coaching staff makes the right moves to make that happen.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Arrowhead Pride.
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