Analyst Says Sell Hype for a Major Jaden Hicks Role – Fair or Unfair?

An outlet isn't buying any high bar set for Jaden Hicks in his first season with the Chiefs. Is it wise to temper expectations?

Nov 11, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; Washington State Cougars defensive back Jaden Hicks (25) before the game against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

When the Kansas City Chiefs take the field for training camp, no one on the coaching staff intentionally wastes reps. Every snap, whether for the best player on the team or someone who started on a tryout basis, has a purpose behind it.

Outside factors like draft status, personnel, injuries and the performance of others in camp can see those opportunities vary. Fourth-round safety Jaden Hicks is a fitting example, as he's currently seeing an increased workload due to an injury to Justin Reid.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo recently acknowledged such, saying Hicks is benefitting from more chances to learn.

"You know, one of the things that sticks out about Jaden is he's tall and long," Spagnuolo said. "And, yeah, he's playing a bunch of different positions. He's going through what Chamarri Conner went through last year where you're trying to learn everything in the volume of the defense, yet he's not just learning one spot. J-Reid, we're not going to have for a little bit here. So it's a blessing and a curse, right? J-Reid doesn't get the reps but somebody else gets the reps and right now, it's Jaden that's benefitting from it."

With more on his plate, Hicks is working in a variety of roles. Similar to 2023 fourth-rounder Chamarri Conner, Kansas City is throwing its rookie safety right into the fire at camp and seeing what he can do. That comes with higher expectations from some of the outside world, setting the table for Hicks to parlay his growth into regular-season success.

Be wary of raising the bar too high, though, writes Alex Kay of Bleacher Report. In a recent article, Kay zeroed in on training camp buzz for the 2024 draft class and campaigned to sell any stock for Hicks "playing a major role" in year one.

"While those practice sessions should help Hicks adapt to the NFL, the rookie may have a hard time finding a steady place in the Chiefs' lineup on Sundays," Kay wrote. "As Spagnuolo mentioned, Chamarri Conner—a 2023 fourth-rounder—spent much of his first training camp learning Kansas City's scheme before spending a majority of his playing time on special teams and logging only 305 defensive snaps as a rookie. Barring a significant injury to Reid or another one of Kansas City's key defensive backs, expect Hicks to play a depth role and mostly log snaps on special teams in 2024."

Kay's comments (and the implication of significant hype/buzz) can be interpreted in a couple of ways. First and foremost, Hicks is a Day 3 draft pick for a team that currently has three quality players already entrenched at the same position. It'd be foolish to anticipate the rookie playing too much on defense unless required via injury. The same applies to Hicks being a versatile training camp standout. There are only so many variations – nickel cornerback, dime linebacker, mugging pass-rush specialist – for someone to fit into. Once real games start, Hicks can't surpass multiple players at once.

With that said, the Chiefs did pitch Hicks as an intriguing player from the jump. Following the selection, team scout Greg Castillo raved about the Washington State product's "effective versatility" and said he was "surprised" he fell so far in the draft. Spagnuolo putting him to the test in the secondary bodes well for his future prospects. Over the weekend, special teams coordinator Dave Toub said Hicks is a "no-brainer, four-phase starter" for his unit.

Alas, Conner was a high-profile special teams weapon as well. He, too, was a chess piece for the secondary down the stretch of the 2023 campaign. He, like Hicks, was selected on the final day of the draft.

The only difference is that Conner burst onto the scene because of an injury. As Kay noted, that is the barrier to Hicks having a similar breakout in 2024. But the Chiefs and their followers also know that, so the true amount of buzz is in the eye of the beholder.

Such is the NFL offseason and training camp cycle. Expectations should be reasonable for Hicks, no matter how talented he is, until someone else provides a reason to think otherwise.

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