The Kansas City Chiefs’ entire elite secondary, the one that carried them to a Super Bowl just a few years ago in 2023, is completely gone. Like, every single piece that made that unit special from 2022 until last year? Poof. Gone. This isn’t just a shake-up, it’s a full-on rebuild back there, and it’s happening fast.
The Secondary Shakeup Is Wild
Look, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has always been about adapting his defensive back cores since he got there in 2019. He started out leaning on safeties like Tyrann Mathieu, Juan Thornhill, and Daniel Sorensen, with guys like Charvarius Ward and Bashaud Breeland at corner. That defense was at its best when it could mess with quarterbacks by disguising coverages and rotating safeties. But then they pivoted. They started bringing in real corner talent, and it paid off huge. L’Jarius Sneed got drafted in the fourth round in 2020. Two years later, they traded up for Trent McDuffie in the first round and grabbed Jaylen Watson in the second.
That’s when it got crazy good. Sneed and McDuffie were one of the best cornerback duos in the NFL during the 2023 season. Their ability to play man coverage on anyone, anywhere on the field, was the main reason that Chiefs defense was elite, and frankly, it carried them to a Super Bowl. They also complemented those playmaking corners with a smart safety in Justin Reid, who was a great addition after Mathieu left. They even drafted Bryan Cook in the second round that same offseason. But now, it’s all gone. Every single one of those guys is out. So, the Chiefs made a flurry of moves to try and reload. They signed safety Alohi Gilman, who looks like a straightforward fit to step into Cook’s old free safety spot. Cornerback Kadar Kohou, an experienced starter at Nickel, could be manning the slot this upcoming season. And L’Jarius Sneed, who played such a massive role, should be back to compete for outside cornerback snaps.
Mansoor Delane’s Massive Role And The Unanswered Questions
Here’s where it gets interesting, especially for us fan-scouts. Rookie cornerbacks Mansoor Delane and Jadon Canady are both going to be factors right away. Delane is a starter from day one, and Canady will likely be competing for the Nickel spot. When you look at the whole picture, only two guys are considered locked-in starters going into the season: Gilman and Delane. Gilman was brought in specifically to replace Cook, which is clear enough. But Delane? He is by far their most talented player. This kid should be an instant, high-impact starter, kind of like McDuffie was when he first came in. He can play on the boundary or in the slot. The future is bright for him, no doubt.
But man, the rest of the defensive backfield? That’s where the big questions are. What’s the best role for all these new pieces? What’s the best combination of defensive backs they can put on the field? When they go into nickel or dime packages, who’s actually going to be out there? And who’s going to start opposite Delane at that other boundary cornerback spot? There are still three options battling it out, which tells you just how much is up in the air.
This is what we’re all watching for as the new season gets going. How these new players, especially rookie Delane, step up and how Spagnuolo shuffles the deck will be everything. The defense needs these pieces to gel *fast* if they want to get back to that Super Bowl level.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Direct RSS.
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