The Most Underrated Defensive Room For The Chiefs

The defense for the Kansas City Chiefs may be underrated, but one thing is for sure: their linebacker depth is through the roof. Chiefs' defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo may be the mastermind behind the Chiefs' defensive success, but he has some of the best players helping him achieve that goal.

One of the biggest offseason moves for the Chiefs was getting linebacker Nick Bolton under contract for the next three seasons. Signing a three-year deal worth $45 million, Bolton has taken his place as a leader on the Chiefs defense. After all, Bolton might be one of the more underrated linebackers in the NFL today.

Bolton has collected three 100 or more total tackle seasons in the four seasons he's played for the Chiefs. His leadership, consistency, and professionalism make Bolton the perfect player to keep in Kansas City for the foreseeable future to lead the defense. But he's not alone.

Another linebacker that the Chiefs can lean on heavily for success is Drue Tranquill. Tranquill is going into his seventh year in the NFL and his third year with the Chiefs. If Kansas City wants to prove that they are still in their Super Bowl-winning window, Tranquill will need to be a massive contributor in 2025.

Last season, Tranquill continued his upward trend of success with the Chiefs. Improving his total tackle number by 15, Tranquill has shown that he adds a ton to the linebacker room depth. 2025 is the final year that Tranquill is under contract with the franchise, so a ton is riding on his success this season.

Leo Chenal and Jack Cochrane are the other two contributors that add insurance to the Chiefs' linebacker depth. Chenal has shown consistency from his second to third season, and as he enters the final year of his rookie deal, the hope is for Chenal to have a breakout season, which is very possible.

The Chiefs drafted Jeffrey Bassa, a linebacker out of Oregon, in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. While Bassa's role might not increase until he sees more service time in the league, the ceiling is high. He only adds extra depth to the linebacker room, further proving how underrated they are.

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