Is Alohi Gilman an Upgrade Over Bryan Cook in Chiefs' Safety Room?

The theme of this offseason for the Kansas City Chiefs has been calculated change. General manager Brett Veach isn't shaking things up just to do it — he's making moves he views as savvy in an effort to restore order for a club that went 6-11 a season ago.

Much of that change involved letting organizational staples go and replacing them with newcomers. At the safety position, the signing of Alohi Gilman is a good representation of that.

Gilman has considerable shoes to fill in 2026 as the Kansas City defense eyes a rebound performance. Chiefs On SI is ranking the top 25 Chiefs for the upcoming season, with Gilman being the second spring pickup in a row to check in on the leaderboard.

Why Gilman Is So Important

Under coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, the safety spot has been a key one for the Chiefs. Whether it be Tyrann Mathieu, Justin Reid or Bryan Cook, a lot is always asked of the top man to not only be in the right spots but also to ensure others are doing their jobs as well.

Cook, who played all 17 regular-season games in both 2024 and 2025, ascended the food chain and took the Reid role as the leading safety this past year. He's now a member of the Cincinnati Bengals on a lucrative three-year contract, so Gilman is the next trusted option.

With Chamarri Conner potentially shifting back to his more natural position and the jury still being out on 2024 fourth-round pick Jaden Hicks, there's a lot left to figure out about this group. A world where Gilman doesn't stick as an average-or-better player could spell doom.

Gilman's Strengths and Weaknesses

The immediate thing that jumps out with Gilman is his nose for the football. In just six seasons, he's already up to 27 passes broken up, six fumble recoveries, five forced fumbles and five interceptions. He's a turnover machine, and last year (nine pass breakups and two recovered fumbles) showcased it perfectly ahead of free agency.

Despite being on the smaller side for a safety, Gilman is a more than willing participant in run support. Two of his best Pro Football Focus grades for that realm have come in the past three seasons. Last year saw him set a new personal best with 17 "stops," a testament to his competitive fire and instincts.

As a splashy player, though, Gilman gives something back via big plays for the opposition. Wanting to tackle isn't a problem, but wrapping foes up is; Gilman has posted a double-digit missed tackle percentage for three straight years.

In coverage, being tried deep down the field (10.7-yard average depth of target from 2024-2025) has led to 531 air yards and a 115.4 passer rating ceded the last two campaigns. Gilman has the lateral agility to stick with some players, but he's far from a man coverage maestro and shouldn't be lining up in the slot much at all.

What Happens If Gilman Gets Hurt?

This is where it gets tricky. On one hand, Conner showed legitimate promise in his early years when he was a safety instead of a nickel cornerback. The latter role didn't suit him whatsoever, so perhaps the transition back could be easy.

Hicks also flashed immense upside as a first-year player before regressing as a sophomore. Additionally, Chris Roland-Wallace is a hybrid defensive piece who can serve as premium depth at safety. There's a range of outcomes where even if Gilman got hurt, the Chiefs might get by.

On the other hand, Conner may fail to replicate his rookie form. Hicks was equally as bad in 2025 as he was fun and good in 2024. No one off the street is going to save this position if its leader goes down and the supporting pillars can't bear the weight.

Aside from Gilman, who's polarizing in his own right with his highs and lows, there's a lot of room for fluctuation with the rest of the room.

Why We Ranked Gilman Here

Entering his age-29 campaign, Gilman is well established as a player. Teams know what he is and isn't, with most of the plus traits being things the Chiefs desperately need on the defensive side.

K.C. hasn't always been the best at generating takeaways, and that's something Gilman does as well as anyone. Spagnuolo's group is good at limiting explosive plays, so that could provide some insulation for where Gilman's profile and track record fall short. It's hard to see this partnership not working out, even if Cook goes on to continue playing quality football in Cincinnati.

Gilman is making roughly 40% less than Cook if both play out their respective deals. It's expected that he'll deliver similar value, which would make both this signing and Gilman's introduction to Kansas City a roaring success.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google