Chiefs' Linebackers Have Something to Prove After Strange Start

The Chiefs' top three linebackers make for a talented trio, but a pair of slow starts brought cause for concern in the NFL's first few weeks. What's next for Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill and Leo Chenal?

Sep 22, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill (23) and linebacker Nick Bolton (32) react after the Chiefs stopped the Atlanta Falcons on fourth down during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs' linebackers have been a topic of much discussion early in the 2024 season, with Nick Bolton at the helm, Drue Tranquill on the field more than 80% of the time and Leo Chenal's emergence as a unique defensive weapon. However, many of those conversations have been alarming ones.

How has KC's linebacking trio performed through the first five games, and what should be expected of them going forward? Jordan Foote of Kansas City Chiefs On SI and I take our best shot at what could be next for the middle of KC's defense as we continue going position-by-position to evaluate the Chiefs at the bye.

Joshua Brisco: Perhaps the most enigmatic position group of the 2024 Chiefs, I'm still not sure what to make of the linebackers. For better or for worse, Leo Chenal is the most fun linebacker (if not the most fun Chief) to discuss through the first five weeks. Despite the fact that Chenal has played less than half of the team's defensive snaps so far this year (just over 46%), the way he's been utilized by defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has been delightful for football physicality fanatics. Though he's not a player who you want to see in coverage (a theme for KC's linebackers this year), Chenal is comically violent when he's moving forward. He's a run-stuffing, lineman-bashing, "football guy" human hit stick who's been excellently utilized so far this season. ...Now you can explain what's going on with Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquill! Good luck!

Jordan Foote: Barring him growing into a full-fledged three-down linebacker or an eventual MIKE replacement for someone like Bolton, this seems pretty darn close to the best possible scenario for Chenal. Not only is he offsetting the loss of Willie Gay Jr., but he's proving to be an extremely versatile and effective piece for Spagnuolo. Whether you watch the film, check the box score or look for advanced stats, it's easy to see how he's making a serious impact in year No. 3. Chenal is a near-perfect fit alongside a duo like Bolton and Tranquill.

Speaking of which, I'd say Tranquill's play has been far and away more shocking than Bolton's. Bolton started the year banged up and has steadily seemed to improve this year, and his leadership and IQ haven't gone anywhere. He's still good for a critical splash play or two but also some coverage mishaps and general struggles elsewhere, which is nothing new. Tranquill, on the other hand, doesn't look nearly as strong as a run defender and isn't the same player in coverage he was a year ago. For the first time since he joined the Chiefs, I'm actually a bit worried about Tranquill's performance.

Brisco: I'm with you across the board there. The Bolton discourse has always been tainted by his draft status, his local collegiate connection, and the way those two factors overinflated his reputation. He's a very good player who seems to be back to his usual standard after a brutal start to the season.

I'm somewhere between worried and confused regarding Tranquill. The Chiefs' defense didn't miss a beat with Tranquill at the MIKE in Bolton's absence last season. Now, Tranquill seems to be out of position as often as he's making plays. He was so much better earlier in this calendar year that I'm still assuming there's some unexplained factor at play, but you have to be within striking distance of all-out concern if he doesn't bounce back in the middle third of the season. Even remaining optimistic, it's also worth noting that he also has an $8.5 million cap hit in 2025 that the Chiefs can't get out of.

Foote: The contract definitely adds another layer to it. Like you said, the Chiefs can't exactly finesse their way out of Tranquill's deal for 2025 unless they want to incur nearly $10M in dead cap with just over $1M in savings. It simply isn't going to happen. The following year is much more feasible, as Kansas City can save $6M against the cap while absorbing just $1.5M in dead money. Tranquill is around for this year and next year so, for their sake, he'll need to return to form down the stretch.

Luckily for the Chiefs, Bolton hasn't been extended yet and Chenal is also still on his rookie contract. With everyone being mostly available early in the season, supporting players like Jack Cochrane, Cole Christiansen and Cam Jones have spent almost all of their time on special teams. It helps make for a very affordable linebacker rotation, as well as one that's trusted by Spagnuolo to be in the right places at the right time. The returns are mixed through five games, but there's hope that everything will come together once the team gets back from the bye.

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