The Strengths in the Chiefs' LB Room

The Kansas City Chiefs have a ton of strengths up and down the roster going into the 2025 campaign. From the offensive side of the ball to the defensive side, the Chiefs are stacked with players who know what it takes to win in the National Football League.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is a mastermind of his kind, making the Chiefs a juggernaut on the defensive side of the football. With the likes of Nick Bolton, Leo Chenal, and Drue Tranquill leading the charge in the linebacker room, the Chiefs have laid themselves out for success.

The Chiefs' defense ranked high among the other franchises the NFL has to offer in 2024 in terms of average net yards allowed per game, average points allowed, and average rushing yards allowed. The defensive unit as a whole was a large part in why the Chiefs won so many one-score games last season.

That being said, the turnover of the defensive side of the ball in Kansas City was very low. While they did lose defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton and Justin Reid in the offseason, the strong units remain intact, particularly the linebacker room.

So much so that in a recent Pro Football Focus ranking of the 2025 NFL linebacker unit rankings, created by Dalton Wasserman, the Chiefs find themselves cracking the top five, ranking fourth. The only teams ahead of Kansas City were the New England Patriots, the Detroit Lions, and the reigning Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles.

"The Chiefs have several trustworthy players for different linebacker roles. Nick Bolton is the leader of the defense, though his PFF grades have declined since his first two excellent seasons. Leo Chenal ranks second in the NFL over the past two seasons with a 91.8 PFF run-defense grade," Wasserman wrote.

"Drue Tranquill is a consistent performer who has recorded a 68.8 PFF overall grade across his two years in Kansas City. Special teams ace Jack Cochrane and fifth-round rookie Jeffrey Bassa provide additional depth."

With the likelihood of the Chiefs finding their way back to the playoffs being high, the linebacker room will once again need to perform like a top defensive unit in the league. With Coach Spagnuolo leading the charge, it shouldn't be all that surprising if they do so.

Be sure to follow us on X (Twitter) @KCChiefsOnSI and @Domminchella to never miss another news story again 

Click here to let us know your thoughts on the Chiefs' offseason when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.