Drue Tranquill Re-Signs With Chiefs On Three-Year Deal

2023 was the first campaign for Drue Tranquill in a Chiefs uniform. After four years with the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers, the linebacker turned in a productive year with Kansas City. In total, Tranquill tallied 53 solo tackles, seven tackles for loss, seven quarterback hits and 4.5 sacks with the Chiefs this past season. He also added two forced fumbles and a pass defensed, to boot.

Tranquill Shined In Multiple Areas With KC

As mentioned above, Drue Tranquill was productive in a variety of areas for the Chiefs this past season. But in reality, the statistics did not do his role justice. When watching back his film and performances throughout the 2023 campaign, Tranquill simply made many plays that were vital for Kansas City. Inside of one of the league’s best defenses, this linebacker shined in coverage, in space, when blitzing and on third down defense.

His ability to get home as a blitzer helped get the Chiefs off of the field on a few occasions late in the season. Moreover, Tranquill sniffed out some tricks by opponents in the playoffs. The amount of stops he made at or behind the line of scrimmage were basically huge momentum boosters for Kansas City. Most of all, Drue Tranquill stepped up for the Chiefs defense as the MIKE linebacker when Nick Bolton dealt with injuries. With his ability to handle a myriad of roles and his football IQ, this defender quickly became a key fit for Steve Spagnuolo‘s defense.

New Deal Completes Gap At Chiefs Linebacker Spot

Not only was Drue Tranquill a force in many areas for the Chiefs defense. Obviously, he walked away as a Super Bowl champion for the first time after joining Kansas City last year. And with the hand he had in that playoff run, Tranquill now secures a well-earned three-year deal. This contract is tremendous security for the young linebacker, of course. After receiving just a one-year deal last offseason, Tranquill can now settle into Kansas City comfortably, so to speak.

But even from a team perspective, getting Drue Tranquill back was important for the Chiefs defense. There was reportedly mutual interest in a re-signing from both parties. But to lock him up before he even reaches the open market is monumental for Kansas City for a few reasons. First and foremost, the Chiefs were set to have two linebackers due for free agency that played a lot of snaps last year. Besides Tranquill, Willie Gay is also an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Being able to bring back at least one of those two is crucial for the KC defensive unit. Additionally, the term of the deal ensures Tranquill, Bolton and Leo Chenal can continue to lead the way for numerous seasons among the linebacker room for the Chiefs.