The Kansas City Chiefs’ secondary went from a top-five unit in 2023 to a middle of the pack unit in 2024.
A large part of the dip in production was due to an injury to Jaylen Watson that saw him miss all but six regular season games. The depth behind Watson simply wasn’t able to adapt the way Steve Spagnuolo needed it to and, well, we saw what that resulted in.
The Chiefs also had a struggling pass rush in 2024, which impacted the secondary’s performance as well. The pass rush went from being a ferocious unit in 2023 to dropping to the middle of the pack the following year.
Well, the good news is that the secondary is receiving glowing reviews ahead of the 2025 regular season, thanks in part to Watson being healthy again.
John Kosko of Pro Football Focus ranked every NFL secondary entering the 2025 regular season and put the Chiefs second on his rankings, trailing only the Baltimore Ravens.
“While the Chiefs may lack household names, their secondary is a cohesive unit that performs at a high level. Trent McDuffie leads the group and is arguably the NFL’s best cornerback, topping all players at the position in advanced coverage grade over the past two seasons. Cornerback Jaylen Watson and safety Jaden Hicks were both strong in 2024, earning coverage grades of 71.6 and 75.7, respectively. Kansas City also added Kristian Fulton in free agency and drafted Nohl Williams in the third round to bolster an already excellent group.”
Chiefs secondary ranked second by PFF ahead of 2025 season
This is music to Chiefs fans’ ears. While K.C. used to be known for its high-flying offense and ability to put up points in a matter of seconds, that’s not the timeline we’re living in anymore.
The Chiefs won Super Bowl LVIII thanks to its elite defense that season and leaning more on the defense has become more of a trend for this team in recent years.
If the secondary can revert more into its 2023 form, that spells trouble for the rest of the league.
Watson is back and healthy, Trent McDuffie, as Kosko noted, is a superstar, and Jaden Hicks put together a strong year in 2024 as well. If Spags has the players he needs, this defense will continue to be dangerous.
For those wondering where the rest of the AFC West came in at on Kosko’s rankings, the Broncos were slotted in right behind Kansas City at third, the Chargers at number nine, and then there was a huge gap with the Raiders coming in dead last.
So, while yes, the Chiefs have two other top 10 secondaries in their division, they also have the league’s worst secondary who they get to play twice a year.
