KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A week ago Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo sat down with his “fab five,” the team’s five defensive backs selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, and he came to a realization about their progress from a season ago.
“They’re like light years ahead,” Spagnuolo said Thursday after the team wrapped up its sixth organized team practice activity (OTA) of the offseason. “And they feel it, and it’s different and they’re confident.
While first-round draft pick Trent McDuffie has been an observer through the first two weeks of OTAs, fellow cornerbacks Jaylon Watson and Joshua Williams have led the action on the field along with starting safety Bryan Cook. Cornerback Nazeeh Johnson has also been heavily in the mix.
“The first day we went out there for a walk-through, the communication – and I’m including Justin Reid in that because last year was all new for him too, even though it was vet, the system was new. And those guys just from a verbal and being tied into that standpoint, they were gelling.”
That’s significant for the Kansas City defense seeking to improve its 2022 performance. Despite highlight plays and steady progress in a championship season, the Chiefs secondary ranked No. 18 against the pass last year and yielded a league-worst 33 touchdown throws during the regular season.
While McDuffie and L’Jarius Sneed when healthy remain the presumed starters at cornerback, Spagnuolo remains comfortable with Watson, Williams and Johnson in backup roles. Third-year veteran Dicaprio Bootle and this year’s seventh-round selection Nic Jones have seen significant action in the nickel formation. McDuffie and Sneed remain the first choices at slot corner, however.
“I don’t think that’ll change,” Spagnuolo said. “Love for another guy to surface so that when we want to keep LJ and Trent outside, somebody can go in there. Whether that happens or not, I don’t know. If that doesn’t happen, then one of those two will be in there and a little bit will be depending on who we’re playing what the matchups are. But both those guys can play in there, and we’re trying to find another one.”
At the safety position, Spagnuolo is relying on the veteran Reid to expand his leadership role in his second year in the scheme. Yet the biggest expectations rest of the shoulder of second-year safety Bryan Cook, who looks to replace the departed Juan Thornhill in the starting lineup.
“Bryan is one of those guys that he’s a bold, vocal guy,” Spagnuolo said. “Even last year, I know he was kind of the third safety, kind of rolled in there in dime. But as a young guy a year ago, I was impressed with how bold he was.”
Spagnuolo said some young players are afraid of making a mistake and are afraid to communicate on the field at first. That’s never been the case for Cook.
“The guys that will blurt it out loud and proud whether they’re wrong or whether they’re right, I like those guys,” Spagnuolo said. “B Cook was like that last year, and he’s kind of just carried that into this year. “(Reid and Cook) are working pretty good together.”
General manager Brett Veach doubled down on the team’s young secondary in this year’s draft as well, adding both Jones and fourth-round safety Chamarri Conner. Jones has “done some good things” thus far in OTAs, Spagnuolo said, and Conner delivered a highlight play on Thursday during 7-on-7 action when he broke up a pass from Blaine Gabbert intended for tight end Matt Bushman.
Just like last year’s rookie class, this year’s group has to learn on the go, trying to keep up with veterans who had an earlier start to the offseason while also learning the defensive scheme. What he’s looking for from Jones and Conner now is for the game to slow down for them.
“You know, when it typically smooths out is when they make that first really good play, right?” Spagnuolo explained. “They get a little bit confidence like I saw Chamarri make that today. I’m hoping that that translates to him getting a little bit more confidence. These guys more than anything when they come in here, gain confidence and it’s huge.”
