With Leo Chenal, Chiefs Linebackers “Will Play Natural Spots”

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Heading into the 2022 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs were expected to be interested in adding another linebacker. They spent second-round picks on both Willie Gay (2020) and Nick Bolton (2021) in the previous two drafts. Therefore, it was not too surprising to see them add another linebacker on day two of the draft. To end their third-round selections, Kansas City took Wisconsin linebacker Leo Chenal at 103 overall.

This ever-changing Chiefs defense is much more youthful now, overall. At the same time, Kansas City’s linebacker corps is being forced to learn on the fly. The results have been mostly fruitful for both Gay and Bolton. For Gay, he has produced 87 tackles, seven passes defended, four tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, two interceptions, 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble in two seasons. Bolton turned in one of the more impactful rookie defensive seasons last year, to boot. The Missouri product registered 112 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, three passes defended, three quarterback hits, one fumble recovery and one touchdown in 2021. And that was with Bolton playing largely out of a reserve role.

But with a veteran like Anthony Hitchens now out of the fold, new opportunities await all of the Chiefs linebackers. This is not limited to just one defender either. In fact, the selection of Leo Chenal will allow Kansas City to play these defenders in clearer or more defined roles. As general manager Brett Veach mentioned, adding Chenal will allow the Chiefs linebackers to “play natural spots.”

Defining Roles

As mentioned above, Bolton largely played out of a reserve role last season. He was able to play more of a SAM role throughout most of his snaps. Occasionally, he would slide into the MIKE role, if Hitchens was injured or in need of a breather. That was arguably the role that Kansas City was eventually grooming him for. No matter how much longer Hitchens had left with the Chiefs, Bolton was always drafted to be the leader in the middle of the defense. He played as that forceful, thumping leader while in college. And with Leo Chenal now in the fold, Bolton will indeed get the keys more often at MIKE.

For the other incumbent linebacker, Gay will now get more snaps in the WILL role. This appears to be a more secure spot for him. The Mississippi State product has always been technically sound in pass coverage. In terms of reading the quarterback and reacting to pass catchers, Gay has started to become more comfortable. Additionally, his range and speed is a perfect mix for that WILL spot.

Where does that leave Leo Chenal? Veach described him as someone who can play SAM immediately. Once in a while, he will get opportunities as the backup MIKE. From a pure usage perspective, Chenal could be used somewhat similar to how the Chiefs viewed Ben Niemann. The newest addition at linebacker provides more confidence than Niemann did, though. Elsewhere, Veach expressed how he believed that Chenal was similar to Damien Wilson, whom the Chiefs had in their latest runs to the Super Bowl.

Top Traits Of Chenal

As if they did not already have some sense of power in the form of Bolton, Leo Chenal will definitely infuse more physicality into the Chiefs defense. As the new linebacker said after being drafted, he brings “violence” to the defense. He and Bolton can combine to become a dominant duo of jackhammers. Yet, Chenal’s style of play is a bit different than that of Bolton.

First off, Chenal thrives by being able to move around the defensive formation. He can come up near the line of scrimmage and the interior of the offensive line. Or, Chenal displays comfortability by moving to the outer edge of the defensive line. No matter where he lines up, the rookie never shies away from larger or tougher challengers.

On top of that, Chenal is a highly explosive defender. His ability to cover ample amounts of ground and to slice through any crease is generally done at 100 miles per hour on seemingly every snap. Chenal’s motor is simply revved up in all moments. For the most part, he is an above average athlete and mover for his size. This is largely displayed when Chenal is able to fly downhill or in the open field.

Could Kansas City Defense Become Even More Aggressive?

For years, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has been able to dial up blitz calls and bring extra pressure at just the right time. This is yet another area where Leo Chenal could possibly thrive early on for Kansas City’s defense. In crucial moments, Chenal will be able to lean on that ability to work downhill, as well as his lateral quickness. The mix of force and speed that he has at his disposal is rare for his size in today’s NFL. Despite always being somewhat aggressive, Spagnuolo has to be salivating with the comfort that Chenal shows when rushing the passer.

If the Chiefs do become more aggressive defensively, it may lead to a greater effect on opposing quarterbacks. Let’s look at that aspect specifically from the case of Leo Chenal. He can push the interior of the pocket and rush as a looper when chasing after the passer. Whereas with his instincts, it is impressive to see how well Chenal times up blitzes and works through traffic at the line of scrimmage. The options that Kansas City has at their disposal is endless, when it comes to the usage of this new linebacker. In turn, it could lead to the linebackers becoming a more cohesive unit, as well as a more combative group to face altogether.

Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs articles throughout this week. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.

– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.