Chiefs’ Most Underrated Player Is Entering a Contract Year

The Kansas City Chiefs have a roster chock-full of talent and star power. They have arguably the face of the league in Patrick Mahomes, one of the best head coaches in the NFL in Andy Reid, and plenty of rising stars in Xavier Worthy and recent first-round pick Josh Simmons.

It may be hard to find a player who's underrated on the Chiefs roster; a team that's made it to the Super Bowl three years in a row. But some players don't often get their flowers, even if they play a huge part in why this dynasty has continued for so long.

The Chiefs' starting slot linebacker, Leo Chenal, is one of those players who has been consistent throughout his career and doesn't get recognized often. The Chiefs drafted him in the third round of the 2022 draft, and he's been playing past where he was taken in the draft for years now.

In 2024, he had 60 total tackles, one sack, and three forced fumbles. Additionally, he also defended against three passes and even blocked a kick for the Chiefs last season. He's been a key tackler for the Chiefs, who excel at stopping the run and wrapping up to prevent yards after the catch.

Jonathon Macri is a sports writer for Pro Football Focus, and he recently published an article where he discusses each team's most underrated player. For the Chiefs, it should come as no surprise that Chenal is the player he chose as their most underrated player.

"Chenal has a very specific role in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, operating as an early-down/run-defending specialist and playing just 26% of the team’s possible third- and fourth-down snaps since 2023.

"Chenal has thrived in that early-down role, earning the third-best PFF run-defense grade (91.3) at his position since 2023, behind only Bobby Wagner (94.1) and Fred Warner (92.1). He has done this by engineering back-to-back seasons with top-four marks as a run defender, and as he enters a contract year, he should continue to be a key member of the Chiefs' run-defense unit".

Chenal will have to continue his stellar play if he wants to remain in Kansas City, and the Chiefs should make it their priority to re-sign him next offseason. His tackling ability is a reason why the Chiefs' stock is rising, even as they rebounded past their Super Bowl loss.

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