Chiefs Rooms: Secondary
3 repliesThe Facelift in the Secondary
The Chiefs’ secondary spent the offseason getting an aggressive facelift, which feels poetic considering key pieces of our former defensive backfield took their talents to Los Angeles, the plastic surgery capital of the planet. Watching Trent McDuffie pack his red and gold bags for Hollywood with Jaylen Watson likewise heading out west to the Rams carrying their blue and yellow future. Additionally, Bryan Cook bolted for Cincinnati to join the Bengals for a cup of ‘who dey’—it all felt like a punch to the gut for a fanbase still nursing a hangover from a miserable season. But while anxiety-ridden fans spent months clutching their pearls on message boards and ‘inn-fighting’ like cheap hotels next to a Waffle House, Brett Veach and Steve Spagnuolo weren’t mourning. They set out to rebuild the room from the studs up by turning the McDuffie trade into some brand new Chiefs studs to be the face of the defense.
The crown jewel of this overhaul arrived on draft night when Kansas City traded up into the first round to snatch Mansoor Delane out of LSU. America’s other Death Valley (Tiger Stadium down in Baton Rouge) has been college football’s premier cornerback factory for decades, and Delane has the makings of the next standout off that SEC assembly line: Patrick Peterson, Derek Stingley Jr., Tre’Davious White, Corey Webster, and Morris Claiborne, to name a few former “DBU” stars. The hits keep coming like a stalking-corner blitz. Only this time, the CB monster landed in Kansas City. Mansoor Delane brings prototypical length, snarling press-man demeanor, and the kind of fluid hips that make boundary receivers think twice about their own abilities to run routes.
We all know that McDuffie was the man, but Delane has the potential to change the game like the Chiefs haven’t had since the days of Dale Carter. Across from him is Nohl Williams, who put together an encouraging rookie campaign and flashed the kind of instincts that suggest he could become a genuine difference-maker. He isn’t an established star just yet, but the upside is obvious; anyone who tracked his college career knows he led the nation in interceptions with relentless ball-hawking ability at Cal, showing a natural nose for the football that Spags can mold into an impactful weapon. Last year, the talent was there and even the most skeptical, worried and timid Chiefs fans are enthusiastic about the potential of Nohl’s ‘ceiling’ and that his pairing with Mansoor under the expert tutelage of Dave Merritt could be Michelangelo-esque.
If a young, hungry perimeter wasn’t enough, Veach pulled off a fascinating reunion by bringing back L’Jarius Sneed. National pundits and salty Titans fans love to pretend Sneed’s knees are old, crumbling Pringles chips inside a skin-can (also known as legs)–but Andy Reid didn’t mince words when he reminded everyone who the top corner in football was during that magical 2023 championship run during a recent interview.
Sneed looks healthy, physical, and eager to re-establish his edge at the line of scrimmage. Having #38 back on the boundary could inject a familiar swagger into the heart of this defense. Remember the Baltimore save at the goal line that Zay Flowers thinks about every morning at breakfast? It was Sneed who punched out that ball and the Chiefs’ ticket to the Super Bowl. They actually had him out in the third preseason game running around for pennies on the dollar in comparison to what he signed for to be a Titan ($76.4 million vs his current veteran minimum salary). To me, that signals he might not only be home with the Chiefs in the home of the Chiefs at Arrowhead, healthy and ready to roll from Week 1. If that’s true, the NFL isn’t ready.
The depth behind them hints at plenty of competitive fire. Kristian Fulton looks revitalized after finishing last season on a high note after an injury-plagued season, carrying solid fluidity through camp and making life difficult on receivers throughout August. Inside, rookie Jadon Canady stepped onto the practice fields after dominating the slot at Oregon, where he led college football across multiple key metrics. Canady’s twitchy lateral quickness gives Kansas City an intriguing extra-nickel option in dime, which could unlock an advantageous chess move: giving Chamarri Conner an extended run at safety–finally.
Conner offers downhill pop, and pairing him on the back end with Alohi Gilman provides a promising counter to our previous third-down headaches. Gilman frustrated the Chiefs for years as an irritatingly smart Chargers mainstay; now he’s patrolling the deep half in red, bringing sound communication and the sharp robber instincts we all hope turn into turnovers consistently. Next to them, Jaden Hicks looks primed for a bounce-back year after navigating a sophomore slump, attacking run alleys with bad intentions. Then there’s rookie Xavier Nwankpa out of Iowa, whose textbook single-high range and clean wrapping form give Spags an athletic center fielder capable of keeping a lid on the deep third when the starters need a break.
Meanwhile, Christian Roland-Wallace has quietly evolved from an under-the-radar name into someone who could push to be one of the steadiest, most disciplined contributors on the depth chart. He doesn’t generate flashy soundbites or garner fan affection, but he mirrors boundary routes well and secures open-field stops like a seasoned vet. Even on the practice squad, pieces like Kader Kohou and Tanner McCalister sit on deck ready to step in if the injury bug bites.
None of this optimism is purely theoretical. This unit was tested in the heat all August in St. Joseph. They spent humid afternoons trading reps with Patrick Mahomes while he was on a mission to recover his own greatness in record time, getting better every day with our defense as target practice for his plight. This secondary was also tracking down Justin Fields on broken scrambles that featured throws to every level of the defense. They managed challenging rookie Garrett Nussmeier on every single throw as he steadily impressed and pressed this unit. The “Nuss-Bus” looked promising in the preseason largely because this secondary forced him to earn every yard in practice—making him anticipate tight windows or risk giving away costly turnovers that this room generated day after hot day in August. Iron sharpened iron, and this young defensive backfield pushed our offense to compete on every snap, every series, and continued to improve.
The outside chatter suggests this unit might be too raw, too newly assembled, and lacking familiar cornerstones. But under the steady guidance of defensive backs coach Dave Merritt, his coaching protégés , and the mad-scientist blitz designs of Steve Spagnuolo, this room has the ingredients to exceed expectations and carry the pedigree that Spags defenses have earned throughout the decades. Between Sneed’s veteran presence, Delane’s ceiling, Williams’ ball instincts, and a safety corps built to clean up in space, this group has the capability to reshape how opponents attack Kansas City. Don’t be surprised if this revamped secondary ends up pushing to be the most impactful room within the entire organization, with a facelift so pretty it’ll make everyone in Chiefs Kingdom smile.
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I like your positive style – fits with your site name! I am with you. spags seems to have a knack for teaching his system – as complex as it is, he gets it working toward the end of the season. I think Andy is getting better too – it used to take receivers 2-3 years to get good in his system, but now they are contributing in their first year..
Thanks. This was a fun one too write and I’m super encouraged by the secondary and think they’re being underrated… Especially the return of Sneed.
AG?
Who are you most excited about in our secondary?
I’m feeling like the secondary could be pretty damn good.
FOOTBALL IS HERE!!!!!!!