What to Watch in Year 4 For Young Chiefs Linebacker

The Kansas City Chiefs have seen a ton of young players take steps forward in the past and then come back down to earth the next season. One of the more recent examples of just that is linebacker Jack Cochrane, whom the Chiefs brought back on a one-year deal for the 2025 campaign.

Cochrane has been with the Chiefs since the 2022 campaign after getting picked up as an undrafted free agent. Through 15 games as a rookie, Cochrane's impact was slightly felt, as he collected nine total tackles, five of which were solos. But it was his second year in the league that was the standout season.

In 2023, Cochrane saw his role increase, as well as his production. Through 17 games, one of which he started, Cochrane collected a career high 28 total tackles, 21 solo tackles, and two tackles for loss. His production was strong enough to help the Chiefs secure their second Super Bowl championship in a row that season.

However, Cochrane's rise quickly fell again this past season. In 15 games played, Cochrane had five total tackles. According to PFF, the Chiefs' linebacker had an overall grade of 61.5, falling just below average. He also had a 60.4 run defense grade and a coverage grade of 62.7.

Going into the new season, the expectations for Cochrane should be set game by game. Seeing as that he's a backup linebacker to Drue Tranquill, Cochrane is likely to be used sparingly throughout the season. His experience in the system was viewed to be too valuable to just let him walk in free agency.

One area that Cochrane should look to improve on, if given the opportunity, is his overall play. Seeing as that he is capable of collecting double-digit tackle totals, Cochrane could be a hidden gem in defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's defensive game plan.

Also, Cochrane's pass rush grade was the worst of the four categories in PFF's metrics, which is ever so important for a linebacker to improve on. Cochrane's role will likely be used as a depth, but that isn't a role that should hold him back from doing as much as he can to raise his stock for the future.

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