Pro Football Focus thinks that the Kansas City Chiefs have turned the corner at the linebacker position.
The Chiefs’ linebacker corps has been considered a weakness since Derrick Johnson’s contract was voided back in 2017, but Pro Football Focus seems to have some confidence in the unit heading into 2022. In their recent linebacker group rankings, PFF’s Seth Galina ranked Kansas City’s group as the ninth-best in the NFL. Only the Indianapolis Colts have a better ranking among AFC teams.
Here’s what he had to say about the unit:
“A position of concern and potential weakness heading into last season has become a real strength for Kansas City. Nick Bolton and Willie Gay are two young linebackers who came on strong last season. Bolton, then a rookie, produced one of the highest individual grades for a linebacker. Gay hasn’t graded as well but possesses the characteristics to become a top linebacker.”
Nick Bolton and Willie Gay Jr. have turned a position group that was once a weakness into perhaps the defense’s greatest strength in just a few short years. Bolton (22) was ranked in PFF’s young ascending linebacker tier earlier this offseason, but Gay (24) wasn’t mentioned.
While Bolton and Gay are certainly the headliners of this group, the depth of the unit shouldn’t be scoffed at either. You’ve got some intriguing pieces who have starting experience in Jermaine Carter and Elijah Lee. There’s also a trio of rookies in Leo Chenal, Mike Rose and Jack Cochrane who could all end up contributors. Ultimately, one of those depth pieces should end up starting alongside Bolton and Gay in the team’s base defense. Others could contribute as sub-package players, depth, or on special teams.
Is this too optimistic of an outlook for a unit with starters who only have a few years of experience under their belt? Let us know your thoughts on the ranking in the comment section down below.
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