2019 KC Chiefs Projected Defensive Starters Post-Draft

If the season started today (updated from my previous post before the draft).

Our new defensive scheme is a 4 - 3 (4 Down Linemen, and 3 Linebackers) base 7 man front with a 1 gap Under Front alignment (Defensive Line shifts to the weakside, and the Strong Side Outside Linebacker moves up on the line of scrimmage. That makes the defense look like a 5-2 with 43 personnel. Sometimes, the Strong or Free Safety will drop down close to the line of scrimmage, and the defense becomes an eight-man front, or what’s known as the 46 (Brian Dawkins in Philadelphia, and probably Tyrann Matthieu in KC). Now everybody in the NFL does a little bit of everything because it’s the pros and a copycat league. But our new defensive coordinator comes from the Jim Johnson tree (‘99 – ‘08 with the Philadelphia Eagles) and prefers a 2 High Safety alignment with Press Man Coverage, mixed in with Man Blitzes, Double-A Gap Blitzes, and Zone Blitzes depending on the situation also.

2019 Projected KC Chiefs Defensive Starters in my opinion after the draft:

LDE: Alex Okafor (Emmanuel Ogbah starts if Okafor doesn't switch sides)

LDT: Derrick Nnadi

RDT: Chris Jones

RDE: Frank Clark

LOLB (SLB): Damien Wilson

MLB: Anthony Hitchens

ROLB (WLB): Dorian O'Daniel

LCB(CB1): Kendall Fuller

RCB(CB2): Bashaud Breeland

FS: Juan Thornhill

SS: Tyrann Mathieu

In the Nickel (5 DBs) against a spread offense, take out Anthony Hitchens, and replace with a Slot Corner. Probably Charvarius Ward.

In Dime (6 DBs), take out Damien Wilson and Anthony Hitchens. Add another Safety, Jordan Lucas along with Charvarius Ward (prefer Armani Watts).

Cut Tremon Smith (These are my cuts based on the undrafted free agents we signed). There will probably be more cuts, but I’m not sure off the top of my head, which they are yet.