The 2026 season will bring major changes on defense to the Kansas City Chiefs. Four starters departed the team as free agents following the blockbuster trade that sent star cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams for a package of draft picks centered around pick No. 29 in the upcoming NFL Draft.
On Tuesday, linebacker Nick Bolton spoke on the second day of Kansas City’s offseason program. He assessed the departure of key talent with whom he won a pair of Super Bowls. Bolton trusts the team
to find the right competition to produce the best replacements for talent lost — and that defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will find the best combination of skillsets on the team.
“It’s kind of the same as it’s always been,” remarked Bolton. “The year before, you come here and lay the groundwork with the guys you have in the building. You just are able to build off scheme wise with the players we’ve had in the building. Obviously, it’s a little bit different this year with the guys lost in the offseason. We’ll just start from the bottom, build the framework and foundation, find the things that everyone on this defense plays well and does well.
“Coach Spags will do a great job of that,” Bolton continued. “Along with just bringing in great competition throughout the camp and OTAs. So, it’s the same as it’s always been — starting from ground one with the end goal in mind of competing for the Super Bowl.”
A new major contributor will need to emerge in Bolton’s room after linebacker Leo Chenal departed for the Washington Commanders in free agency. Chenal will be missed, but Bolton anticipates a competition to replace his vacated snaps.
“From the very first day he was here,” Bolton recalled of Chenal, “he said he brings physicality. That’s kind of what he brought to our side of the ball. So, we’re definitely going to miss him. With that being said, I think we do a great job of bringing in great competition.”
Bolton expects second-year pro Cooper McDonald to have a say in that competition. McDonald mostly saw action on special teams in 2025 after making the team as an undrafted free agent. After a late-season injury to Chenal, however, McDonald saw more defensive action in the final two games.
“Coop’s done a great job,” he observed, “when Leo couldn’t play I think the last two games of the season coming in and filling that void for us. I think a lot of young guys will come in and play a lot. That’s our job as vets, and coaches as well, to get them playing to the place we need them to be. I’m excited for the guys we have in the building, for sure.”
The Chiefs did add a pair of presumed defensive starters in safety Alohi Gillman and defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga. Bolton anticipates both to be good fits.
He has little doubt of Gillman’s ability to pick up a defense because he already saw the veteran do so last year when he was traded from the Los Angeles Chargers to the Baltimore Ravens.
“Gillman, especially on the back end, he’s going to be good for us,” Bolton predicted. “He’s a vocal guy getting guys orchestrated into the back end. He’s played a lot of football and played in different schemes. Even last year, being able to go play at Baltimore halfway through the season, it’s super huge in terms of seeing his communication.”
No one should be surprised that the Chiefs’ starting MIKE linebacker is excited to have Tonga’s 335-pound frame plugging up run lanes. But Bolton has also been impressed with his new teammate’s football knowledge.
“KT — another one of those guys you can tell is intellectual,” Bolton noted. “[He] knows what he’s talking about, knows ball and been around different schemes. He’s big up front. I love all the big guys we can get. He’s a good guy and a good person to be around.”
The offseason is just starting and will continue through organized team activities (OTAs) and eventually into training camp. For the initial phase, Bolton knows the first goal is communication.
“Obviously, this is laying the groundwork,” said the linebacker. “Communication, you just want to make sure everyone’s on the same page. Hand signals, verbal communication, visual cues — all those things that you kind of build on early in this part of the year in OTAs and training camp. The biggest thing is we’re communicating defense.
“We play multi schemes and multi different looks. Every game, every week we try to add a little bit of flavor to our scheme. Just be a big communicator. Be vocal even if you’re wrong. If you’re all right, we’re all wrong. Making sure everyone’s on the same page is one of the biggest parts we can get in this part of the season.”
