Kansas City Chiefs’ defense shines in second day of training camp
By Calvin Silvers
The Kansas City Chiefs’ defense is coming off a 2023-24 campaign where they were ranked second-best in the NFL, surrendering just 289.8 total yards per contest. It won’t be the same foundation for the back-to-back world champions, especially for the defensive backs.
With the trade of L’Jarius Sneed in the offseason, a position battle had emerged.
“It’s pretty open, so you’ve got (athletes) fighting for that,” defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said. “You got Josh (Williams), you got Jaylen (Watson), you got N.J. (Nazeeh Johnson). I think it’s wide open and I think all three of those guys know that.”
It’s been a revolving door for the position early in camp, as Watson and Justin Reid are sidelined with injuries. A few names have been fighting for a signature starting position, but rookie Jaden Hicks has caught some attention, as he could be utilized in more ways than one.
The fourth-round pick has an ideal body size for Spagnuolo, and his athleticism is off the charts in multiple ways.
“He’s tall and long and yeah, he’s playing in a bunch of different positions,” Spagnuolo said. “He’s going through what Chamarri Conner went through last year where, you know, you’re trying to learn everything in the volume of the defense and yet, he’s not just learning one spot.”
It’s not just the defensive backs that took a hit in the offseason, but the linebackers as well. The departure of Willie Gay Jr., meant a leader was lost, but the retainment of Drue Tranquill alongside Nick Bolton, is a good place to start.
While those two are expected to be impactful, the rookies and younger players are utilizing this revamped room to make an impact in front of coaches and fans during camp.
“Drue has been here and has played that spot. Jack Cochrane has been doing a terrific job,” Spagnuolo said. “Leo (Chenal) is going to probably have different roles than he had last year… we got some young guys out there. So hopefully, you know, we can find five, six, however many linebackers and get some good ones.”
With the linebacker room filled with nine potential contributors, all have come together to make sure this team remains near the top of the NFL.
“Those guys obviously mean a lot to our team, a huge chunk of our personality, but personality changes year to year,” Bolton said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that have been waiting to thrive in these moments. That’s what training camp is for, you find out what your personality is and what your DNA is and find what you’re made up of.”
As for Bolton, who’s arguably the leader of this linebacker unit, he has a lot on his plate as he enters his contract season. He is coming off a season where he injured his entire left side and missed a chunk of the season.
However, despite the contract looming above his head, the focus is on the team.
“I’m taking it day by day. Honestly, I just want to get through training camp, trying to put my best foot forward,” Bolton said. “I was banged up a lot last year, I think I put my best product out there. I just want to get our team to the best way we can, and figure out where we are on defense to help us win football games.”
