Chiefs Figure To See 5 Key Defensive Position Battles

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Spin it as a silver lining or call it a legitimate concern. Either way, the Chiefs enter the draft with only six of their 11 defensive starters written in pen.

And between now and Sept. 13, when the Chiefs open their 2026 season, Steve Spagnuolo should burn through a lot of pencils and erasers.

Entering the draft, five positions appear up for grabs as the team looks ahead to training camp in St. Joseph, Mo. And while the draft should shore up a lot of depth, don’t expect the Chiefs to hand out a starting role to a draft pick prior to late August.

Here are the five position battles shaping up on the defensive side of the ball.

Cornerback

Depth chart entering draft: Nohl Williams, Chris Roland-Wallace, Melvin Smith.

For all the criticism the Chiefs got late last season for not playing younger players, they should get credit for playing Williams in all 17 games during his rookie year. The third-round selection quickly earned Spagnuolo’s trust and wound up with five starts. Dialed up seven times on the blitz, Williams finished with a sack and seven passes defensed. And after shutting down big-name receivers week after week, he owns the inside track at winning the starting role.

Cornerback

Depth chart entering draft: Kristian Fulton, Kader Kohou, Kevin Knowles.

The Chiefs are hurting after losing both Jaylen Watson and Trent McDuffie, their starting cornerbacks last season. But before Watson capitalized on Fulton’s nagging injuries in training camp, the Chiefs signed Fulton to a two-year, $20 million contract with $15 million guaranteed. They signed Fulton to start, and should give him every opportunity to claim that role this year.

Strongside linebacker

Depth chart entering draft: Cooper McDonald, Jeffrey Bassa, Kam Arnold.

One of the more intriguing position battles is this spot, vacated when Leo Chenal signed with Washington this month. An undrafted rookie in 2025, McDonald should get the first reps because he started the season finale at Las Vegas with Chenal on injured reserve. Clearly, he did something to impress Spagnuolo. Bassa, a fifth-round selection last April, will get his shot to unseat McDonald in camp, although he could’ve benefitted from more defensive reps as a rookie.

Defensive end

Depth chart entering draft: Ashton Gillotte, Felix Anudike-Uzomah, Ethan Downs.

The third round of the 2025 draft will either make or break the Chiefs. That’s when they took Williams at 85 overall and, earlier in the round, Gillotte at 66. While Williams appears like a fantastic pick, Gillotte’s jury is still sequestered. Kansas City will find out soon enough, though, because the Chiefs released veteran Mike Danna as a cap casualty this month. Meanwhile, Anudike-Uzomah missed the entire 2025 season with a hamstring injury. The Chiefs’ first-round selection in the 2023 draft, Anudike-Uzomah could be a Skyy Moore-like trade candidate.

Safety

Depth chart entering draft: Chamarri Conner, Jaden Hicks, Tanner McCalister.

Conner provided the Chiefs with enormous value in 2025, cashing in a nice bonus check as part of the NFL’s performance-based pay. Dependable but not dominating, Conner entered the league as the Chiefs’ fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft and begins the final year on his rookie deal. Hicks, meanwhile, joined the Chiefs in the same round a year later. He enters Year 2 looking to take similar step.

Defensive depth at other solidified positions

Defensive end: George Karlaftis, Downs, Tyreke Smith.

Defense tackle: Chris Jones, Omarr Norman-Lott, Marcus Harris.

tong — Jan 18, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga (95) sacks Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) in the fourth quarter in an AFC Divisional Round game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Nose tackle: Khyiris Tonga, Zacch Pickens.

Weakside linebacker: Drue Tranquill, Cole Christiansen, Bassa, Arnold.

Middle linebacker: Nick Bolton, Jack Cochrane, McDonald, Brandon George.

gilma — Dec 7, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren (30) runs with the ball against Baltimore Ravens safety Alohi Gilman (12) during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images | Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Safety: Alohi Gilman, Roland-Wallace, McCalister.

Slot cornerback: Kohou, Roland-Wallace, Knowles.

koho — Jan 13, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Richie James (17) runs the ball as Miami Dolphins cornerback Kader Kohou (4) defends in a 2024 AFC wild card game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images