Yesterday we looked at the positional ratings for each offensive position. Today we’ll focus on the defensive side of the ball for our Kansas City Chiefs. Here’s how the rating works: 1) Way Worse, 2) Worse, 3) Similar, 4 Better or, 5) Way Better (I also sneak a rating of “A Little Better” in there too). I’ll be rating each group in three ways: 1) Compared to 2016, 2) Depth of the Position and, 3) The Starter’s Top Side Potential.
Defensive Line Group: Compared to 2016
The big difference here is the absence of Dontari Poe and Jaye Howard. The addition of Bennie Logan and Tanoh Kpassagnon offer better support against the run and future penetration on passing downs. While you may think last year’s group was better at first glance, the addition of Logan should make a significant difference versus the run.
Defensive Line Group: Depth of the Position
The Chiefs had to call on the depth of the DL frequently in 2016. John Dorsey spent extra hours signing players off the street to fill in for Allen Bailey and Jaye Howard. Rakeem Nunez-Roches was cut then resigned and played much better upon his return. However, RNR will now be relied upon to provide quality minutes in the rotation. Unless RNR, Jarvis Jenkins, T.J. Barnes, or David King take a quantum leap forward in their offseason progress, the DL depth will be left wanting.
Defensive Line Group: The Starter’s Top Side Potential
Chris Jones, Bennie Logan, and Allen Bailey will make a much improved defensive line and the potential of the three together is formidable. Assuming Baliey returns to his former excellent standards, the run defense should improve dramatically from the #26 ranking in 2016. Once Tanoh Kpassagnon gets up to speed, the DL should also be able to get more push on the pocket than in recent years. Another step forward by Chris Jones should land him in the Pro Bowl as well as other teams backfields.
Outside Linebacker Group: Compared to 2016
The absence of Justin Houston for the first part of 2016 was both good and bad. In his absence, Dee Ford finally blossomed but upon his return… and Ford flipping to the other side of the field… Ford’s play suffered while Houston had good and bad games. If both players excel this season then OLB will be in good-to-great hands for years to come. If not… let’s not go there.
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Outside Linebacker Group: Depth of the Position
With Ford and Houston both starting the season healthy and Tamba Hali taking a limited role… OLB depth looks solid if you only go three-deep. After Hali, there’s Frank Zombo, Dadi Nicolas, and Victor Ochi. None of them should be considered starters but make solid backups. It was rumored that Tanoh Kpassagnon was seen standing up like an OLB in mini-camp and although he’s athletic, his 6-foot-7 inch 289-pound frame looks to limit his use there on any kind of regular basis.
Outside Linebacker Group: The Starter’s Top Side Potential
Dee Ford had 10 sacks in 2016 even though he was moved from one side to the other when Houston came back. If Houston is still just 80% of his 2014 self he’d end up having 17.5 sacks this season. Since this rating is all about potential, these two have a tremendous upside and could produce the enough sacks to be considered the best pair of OLBs in the NFL.
Inside Linebacker Group: Compared to 2016
With both Derrick Johnson and Justin March-Lillard returning to action… and Ramik Wilson learning on-the-job in DJ’s absence, the ILB position group should be much better than the rag-tag batch of broken bodies in 2016. Health and stability at ILB should go a long way towards improving the team’s run defense ranking.
Inside Linebacker Group: Depth of the Position
As long as the bottom doesn’t fall out again like it did last year, the depth at ILB is good. D.J. Alexander and Terrance Smith both have had promising moments and the addition of Ukeme Eligwe makes the future look bright as well. It was funny to see D.J. Alexander taking snaps at middle linebacker during the Pro Bowl because he played less than 5% of his snaps there in 2016. Obviously, Alexander was selected because of his special team play but he should get a chance at ILB this year at some point.
Inside Linebacker Group: The Starter’s Top Side Potential
I’m not projecting D.J. to get hurt this year and the same goes for JML. Add in Ramik Wilson, who may get the starting nod next to DJ instead of JML, and the depth of the starting ILBs will be better this year. D.J. wasn’t playing that great the first part of last year so I’m not expecting him to be any better than that this year. However, both JML and Wilson should give him plenty of opportunities to rest which means… when he is on the field, he should be excellent.
Cornerback Group: Compared to 2016
Last year’s collection of CBs was missing Sean Smith early on and it wasn’t until the end of the year that Terrance Mitchell came on strong. While there’s a question whether or not Mitchell can play the way he played late in the year and do it all year long… this group is deeper, more healthy, and more experienced than last year’s cadre.
Cornerback Linebacker Group: Depth of the Position
The cornerback position may be the deepest group on the roster. Marcus Peters, Terrance Mitchell, Phillip Gaines, Steven Nelson are all capable of playing outside or in. Although, Gaines is probably more suited to providing nickel coverage inside. Steven Nelson had the most snaps of any of the Chiefs DBs which is an indication that he was the most versatile corner as well. If Gaines can stay healthy and rookies D.J. White continues to progress, the Kansas City D will be hard to score against by air in 2017. On the outside looking in may be Kenneth Acker and Stanley Jean-Baptiste. It’s hard to know where they fit in… and that a testament to the depth the Chiefs have at corner.
Cornerback Linebacker Group: The Starter’s Top Side Potential
Marcus Peters and Terrance Mitchell make an excellent pair of bookend corners. Although, in today’s NFL, a team needs more than two good corners. Steven Nelson and Phillip Gaines have started plenty of games too. Nelson has progressed on a steady upward trajectory in his first two seasons and with the full recovery of Gaines — the projected starters at corner appear to be well supported no matter who Andy Reid chooses to start across from Paters or in the slot.
Safety Group: Compared to 2016
If the Cornerback group is considered the strength of the team, the Safety position is running neck-and-neck with them. This group is led by All-World Eric Berry plus, Ron Parker, Daniel Sorenson, and Eric Murray. Now, there’s Leon McQuay III but, he may end up flipping to corner. With nearly the exact same Safety personnel, I’d expect the group to be the same in production.
Safety Group: Depth of the Position
With Berry, Parker, Sorenson — who had a breakout year in 2016 — and the emerging Eric Murray, the Safety position is as deep and strong as it’s been in the past 4 years of the JARD era in K.C. John Dorsey has been able to find plenty of Safeties to come in and sign with the team and provide an excellent level of play. At 6-foot-3 and 215 lbs. you must wonder if Stanley Jean-Baptiste was signed with the intent to give him a look at Safety?
Safety Group: The Starter’s Top Side Potential
I’m not sure Eric Berry has more upside that he showed in 2016. The same goes for Ron Parker and Daniel Sorenson surely stepped up his game last year. However, the passing defense (which includes the CBs) was ranked 18th in the league last season. If the Chiefs passing defense is to improve in the coming season, it will probably have to be the play of the cornerbacks. The Safeties appear maxed out to me.
That’s my look at the offense and the defense going into Training Camp. Let me know what you think.
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