Reviewing Chiefs LB depth following Willie Gay Jr.’s suspension – Chiefs Wire
The Kansas City Chiefs will have to make do without third-year LB Willie Gay Jr. for the next four weeks.
The NFL issued a four-game suspension for Gay Jr. for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. The violation stems from his January arrest last season. Gay Jr. will not be appealing the suspension either. That means the team will need to find a replacement in the meantime while Gay Jr. serves his four-game suspension.
Thankfully, the team has quite a bit of linebacker depth with five more players currently on the 53-man roster. It’s one of the deeper positions on the defensive side of the ball for Kansas City.
Nick Bolton
AP Photo/Darryl Webb
Bolton is going to be on the field regardless of Gay Jr.’s absence, but that’s not to say it won’t impact him. The two players have a very good relationship both on the field and off of it. That chemistry will likely be lacking with whoever replaces Gay Jr., but it’s not to say that it can’t be replicated. They’ll just have to stack building blocks each week and keep improving over the course of the next four weeks.
Leo Chenal
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Chiefs fans were already chomping at the bit to see more Chenal and they actually might get that with Gay Jr.’s absence. The rookie’s skill set seems better-suited toward the run game, but his coverage ability has actually been fine so far. In 16 coverage snaps this season, Chenal hasn’t been targeted once according to PFF. I do think there is an element of not wanting to overload Chenal with too many responsibilities, so perhaps having him on the field on early downs in place of Gay Jr. is a possibility.
Elijah Lee
AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski
Lee played eight defensive snaps in Week 1, replacing Willie Gay Jr. in the lineup during the blowout win over the Arizona Cardinals. He primarily was on the field for the team’s nickel defensive packages. I suspect that he’ll get the first crack at replacing Gay Jr. in the starting lineup in Kansas City because he has 68 career games played and several seasons of experience. Still, the best bet might be to divide and conquer in terms of responsibilities and get Lee on the field in those specific sub-packages he played in during Week 1.
Darius Harris
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Harris has been a backup SAM and MIKE linebacker for the team for a few seasons now. I’m not confident he’ll see much action in place of Gay Jr., but he has played in the team’s big nickel packages before. He’s also earned the trust of the coaching staff during the few games that he’s started for the team. He’ll certainly be first off the bench if the team sustains an injury at any of the three linebacker positions.
Jack Cochrane
AP Photo/David Banks
Cochrane is actually a player that I thought had an outside chance of making the initial 53-man roster based on his special teams play. He did a good job playing on the weak side during training camp and in the preseason, but I think there will be others in line for snaps ahead of the undrafted rookie out of South Dakota
Cole Christiansen
AP Photo/Stephen Brashear
Christiansen is the Chiefs’ lone linebacker on the practice squad. He’s unlikely to play much of a role unless the team sustains an injury at the position in the next four weeks. Even then, he’s likely going to have to earn his keep on special teams before seeing any action on the defensive side of the ball. Basically, if K.C. needs him on defense, they’re in trouble.