New faces arrive, but departures create significant defensive holes. Can Spagnuolo's magic fix a Kansas City Chiefs unit tasked with more, using less?
The Kansas City Chiefs are bringing in a lot of new faces after a busy free agency and trade frenzy.
The good news is that tight end Travis Kelce is back for at least one more season, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes is recovering well. Mahomes even posted a video of himself throwing a football, not even five months removed from ACL surgery.
But, the Chiefs have a lot of questions, especially on the defensive side of the ball after a flurry of players left via trade or free agency.
Here are all of the players on defense who left this offseason:
- CB Trent McDuffie (traded to Rams)
- CB Jaylen Watson (signed with Rams)
- S Bryan Cook (signed with Bengals)
- LB Leo Chenal (signed with Commanders)
Those are all meaningful departures, and Jeffri Chadiha of NFL.com said the biggest question for KC right now is the state of the defense.
"How much work do the Chiefs have to do on defense?" Chadiha asked.
Sure, the Chiefs added former Patriots defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga and Ravens safety Alohi Gilman, who the Chiefs know from his days with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Still, there are big question marks on the defense, more specifically in the secondary.
"Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has been a critical component of this team's success, but he can only do so much without the proper personnel," Chadiha wrote.
Yes, Spags is a genius at making things work defensively, but can it work magic with limited personnel?
"As much as people are waiting to see how quarterback Patrick Mahomes returns from a torn ACL, that defense bears watching as well. It couldn't come up with enough key stops last year. Now it will be asked to be better with less accomplished players moving into major roles," Chadiha added.
Good News: Chiefs Have Draft Picks Coming
Now, there is a silver lining in an unfortunate free agency period on the defensive side of the ball.
The good news is that the Chiefs have the No. 9 and No. 29 overall pick, the latter of which was acquired in the McDuffie trade.
The Chiefs have been linked to EDGE, cornerback and other positions at No. 9 overall, and No. 29 should allow them a chance to address another area of need.
ESPN's Field Yates had the Chiefs selecting Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson and then Texas A&M edge Cashius Howell with the two first-round picks, and that would address some needs early on.
There are other options at No. 9, including Miami Hurricanes edge Rueben Bain, but he could go before the Chiefs are even on the clock.
So, while the Chiefs added Kenneth Walker III in a big free agency pickup, the defensive departures are a big problem for Kansas City, but let's see if Brett Veach can pull a rabbit out of his hat once again.