The Chiefs Can Alter Their Pass Rush Philosophy via the Draft
Over the course of his tenure not only with the Kansas City Chiefs, but also with the NFL in general, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has developed a "type."
That type applies to multiple positions, but defensive end is the most well-known and obvious one. Not only does the Spagnuolo prototype influence possible trades and free agent signings, but it comes into play more than ever during draft preparation. With the 2022 NFL Draft approaching, let's outline that prototype. The information below is from the KCSN Draft Guide: 2022 Edition. KC Sports Network does great work overall and came up with what a typical 'Spags' defensive end is:
- 6-foot-3 or taller
- Weighs between 260-279 pounds
- Has at least 33-inch arms
Jan 23, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark (55) reacts after a play against the Buffalo Bills during the second half of the AFC Divisional playoff football game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Of course, there are exceptions to this prototype, but the trend generally stays true. If players are missing the checkbox on even one of those aforementioned criteria, their odds of becoming a heavy Spagnuolo player are slim. If they're missing more than one box, their odds are much worse. There are reasons to believe that those exceptions could become more common, though.
Over the past couple of years, players such as Melvin Ingram and Mike Danna have been able to overcome being just outside of the proverbial Spagnuolo box. The Chiefs' investment in them shows that the team isn't completely stuck in its ways. The addition of Joe Cullen as Kansas City's new defensive line coach also adds fuel to that fire.
Cullen, coming from the Jacksonville Jaguars, has primarily worked out of a 3-4 base defense. That is the opposite of what the Chiefs run under Spagnuolo, so new thoughts are being brought into the coaching room. 3-4 schemes rely more on athletic linebacker types and bulky defensive ends to rush the passer. For the Chiefs, they line up with two ends and two interior linemen, then go from there. Here's what Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said during the week about the tie between Spagnuolo's preferences and potential atypical fits.
Mar 1, 2018; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansa City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach speaks to the media during the 2018 NFL Combine at the Indianapolis Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
“It comes up a lot with some of the 3-4 rushers that where they’re not really ideal scheme fits, but at the end of the day, if you can get guys that can rush the quarterback, let’s find a way that we can utilize them and implement him," Veach said. "We do get into a lot of visionary-type discussions in regard to if we bring this guy, yeah, there may be limitations on reducing him or bringing him down but whether it be standing him up and playing him in a joker-type role or just as a pure as a DPR – how do we see that, how do we fit that?
"Those conversations go into more conversations with the college staff and their ability to learn and retain. It’s just exchanging ideas and just getting to a point where there’s always a little give and take getting to a point where everyone feels comfortable and sees the vision together.”
The "let's find a way that we can utilize them..." part immediately jumps out. It remains to be seen whether the Chiefs will break the mold in regards to Spagnuolo defensive ends, but Veach's recently-provided outlook does open the door for that to take place. This year's EDGE class also just so happens to have plenty of players who don't fit each and every category listed above.
Nov 13, 2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Arnold Ebiketie (17) reacts follow a sack on Michigan Wolverines quarterback Cade McNamara (12) (not pictured) during the second quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
Towards the top of the draft, the trio of Jermaine Johnson (Florida State), David Ojabo (Michigan) and Arnold Ebiketie (Penn State) all fall short of the aforementioned 260-pound minimum weight threshold. Later on, Drake Jackson (USC) does the same. Nik Bonitto (Oklahoma) and Myjai Sanders (Cincinnati) both check in well short of it, but they're better projected fits in 3-4 systems anyway. The gist of this: Kansas City doesn't have an overwhelming amount of "perfect" options to choose from.
At the end of the day, as Veach said, pass-rushing specialists are prospects too. The Chiefs' pass rush was one of the worst groups in the NFL a season ago, going on stretches with adequate pressure rates but consistently failing to close the deal and come away with many sacks. It was one of the contributing factors to the team's AFC Championship Game loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, and it could creep up again if things don't change.
History says to stand by the Spagnuolo "type" and not expect anything to change. It's what his yearly groups have largely consisted of, after all. With that said, if there was one offseason to stray from the norm, the Chiefs have shown that it's this one. When thinking of EDGE prospects Kansas City could draft at the end of April, don't leave any stone unturned. The team very well could be doing the same.
