Already Solid, KC Chiefs’ Safety Group Has Even More Room to Improve
The Kansas City Chiefs haven't been afraid to let some of their top safety talents leave town in recent years. The two notable examples: Tyrann Mathieu's departure prior to the 2022 season and Juan Thornhill signing elsewhere before this current campaign. General manager Brett Veach's replacement plans have helped contribute to winning football, and 2023 is no different.
At the top, Justin Reid is finding his identity as one of the leaders of the Chiefs' secondary and defense at large. Bryan Cook, a second-round draft pick last year, stepped up and filled in the shoes Thornhill left. Signed this offseason, Mike Edwards has injected playmaking and instincts into Steve Spagnuolo's defense. This three-headed monster at safety is playing solid football coming out of the bye week, but it also has some room to improve down the final stretch of the year.
Joshua Brisco and Jordan Foote start an Arrowhead Report discussion to assess where Kansas City is at with the position as the season passes its midpoint.
Biggest success
Foote: Edwards has been exactly as advertised since coming over from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the offseason. The veteran safety has played less than half of Kansas City's defensive snaps this season, but his impact is real. In nine games, he's already broken up five passes, recorded two tackles for loss, picked off a pass, recovered a fumble and more. Additionally, Edwards is posting career-best marks in completion percentage and passer rating allowed. Who knew that such an upgrade at third safety was possible?
Brisco: There's nobody to pick on! I can't help but to think back on the more unfortunate days of Daniel Sorensen's final year or two in Kansas City, with a handful of less-than-ideal Tyrann Mathieu moments mixed in. This season's secondary has such a different feel as a cohesive unit. When Edwards comes onto the field, there's no concern that the opposing quarterback is going to throw his way until Spagnuolo takes him off. Cook doesn't play like a first-year starter. Reid's occasional mistakes rarely compound. This unit seems to be more than the sum of its parts, and its parts are already worthwhile.
Biggest shortcoming
Foote: Cook is far from a problem for the Chiefs' defense but considering how many stellar players he shares the field with, he ranks relatively low on the club's list of high-level contributors in 2023. The second-year man has given up a completion 13 times when targeted in pass coverage, allowing an average of 18 yards per completion and a 119.8 passer rating when targeted. The occasional growing pains for Cook have definitely been there, although so plays like his game-changing fumble return off a toss from Edwards in Week 9. The Chiefs will gladly take the good with the not-so-great.
Brisco: I'm beginning to think we should have just left this section out for the defense. Those are interesting numbers about Cook's tendency to get beat for chunk plays, but as you noted, they feel like growing pains, often chased by spectacular plays that make the mistakes extremely forgettable. Forced to find something resembling a shortcoming: Reid has the fourth-highest cap hit among safeties this year, per Spotrac, and he hasn't been a top-five safety. I also don't think the Chiefs have any buyer's remorse whatsoever, as his $12.7 million cap hit is a reasonable price for a good veteran player who should be in his peak years, especially as he entered to essentially replace Mathieu last season.
Biggest question(s) remaining this season
Foote: Will Reid have another late-season surge? The 2022 offseason free agent pickup didn't come on strong until late in that ensuing slate of games, and his 2023 efforts have been up and down. Reid's versatility in the secondary is being put to the test again, leaving him as a jack of all trades but a master of none. Four of his lowest-graded Pro Football Focus games this season have come in his last five outings. If Reid can find a way to elevate from solid to good yet again, it will make the Chiefs' secondary even scarier to face.
Brisco: We're just swapping pseudo-shortcomings and biggest questions. My question: What's next for Bryan Cook? Justin Reid said he wasn't completely comfortable in Spagnuolo's defense until December 2022, and though Cook was in the scheme last season, he only played about 30% of the defensive snaps. Playing around 85% this season, he could see a similar late-season leap as the game slows down and he becomes even more comfortable in the defense. As Spagnuolo adds more wrinkles for the playoff push, I would love to see Cook become even more weaponized down the stretch.
