Chiefs Linebacker Preview: Bolton and Tranquill Bring Stability, Chenal Brings Upside and Unknown

The Chiefs have two known starters at linebacker, but Leo Chenal and the rest of the depth chart will have something to prove in training camp.

Jul 27, 2022; St. Joseph, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) and linebacker Jack Cochrane (43) and linebacker Leo Chenal (54) walk down the hill to the field prior to training camp at Missouri Western State University. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas City Chiefs linebackers have been in the headlines for many reasons this offseason, ranging from Nick Bolton's contract year to Drue Tranquill's re-signing to Leo Chenal's projection into a new role following the departure of Willie Gay Jr. How will the second level of the defense shake out in 2024?

Joshua Brisco: With plenty of "underrated" discourse surrounding both Tranquill and Chenal while Bolton's standing among the league's elite is debated, most discussion about KC's backers is generally positive. I wonder if there may be some cause for concern.
Gay is now with the New Orleans Saints, leaving Chenal with a clear path to a larger role in 2024 and opening a spot for players like Cam Jones, Cole Christiansen and Jack Cochrane to battle for playing time as LB4.
With Bolton entering the final year of his rookie deal, he has a lot riding on his production this season. Without worrying about 2025 and beyond, how good of a group do the Chiefs have patrolling the middle of their defense in '24?

Jordan Foote: The Bolton-Tranquill duo is extremely intriguing, and the Chiefs didn't truly get to reap the actual rewards of it until the postseason. During the regular season, Bolton missed extended time with a high-ankle sprain and then a dislocated wrist. Now entering a contract year, he'll look to return to his 2022 form as a formidable downhill stopper and continue to develop in coverage. Tranquill, on the other hand, was an iron man of sorts last year and is a fluid mover in coverage. He can also play the dime linebacker role as needed. The two complement one another well.
Keeping it at (or near) the top, this is a huge year for Chenal. He's steadily improved in his first two seasons, and his athletic profile gave Steve Spagnuolo ample opportunities to unleash him as he saw fit. That luxury is now more of a necessity in 2024. If Chenal's mental processing catches up to his nose for tackles and block deconstruction, he could complete a dangerous top three. The loss of Gay might not be felt much, especially considering the trusted depth of the room.

Brisco: Chenal may be one of the most under-discussed Chiefs at this point in the preseason process. I believe the defense will be fine without Gay, but I'd also argue that he is a better player than he got credit for in KC, creating a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy in terms of how Spagnuolo will withstand his departure. Still, even with a defense that spends so much time in two-linebacker sets, Chenal will have to manage at least not being a weak link who could be picked on in coverage, an issue Bolton already has to navigate. The coverage questions from those two made a great argument for the return of Tranquill. Right now, he's the only Chiefs linebacker who I trust in coverage. If either Bolton or Tranquill miss time in 2024, that depth will be tested. Still, with the collection of talent the Chiefs can boast from their defensive depth chart and coaching staff, I don't see it becoming KC's Achilles heel unless opposing offenses can pick on Bolton and Chenal in the passing game.

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