The Kansas City Chiefs‘ 2023 Super Bowl run was powered by a dominant and opportunistic defense that made timely plays in the biggest moments of the biggest games last season.
While general manager Brett Veach and the front office have expended significant resources to upgrade the talent around three-time Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes on offense, Kansas City will once again need a standout performance from its defense to survive what promises to be a postseason gauntlet in the AFC.
Given that the Chiefs will likely need to get through some combination of Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens, C.J. Stroud’s Houston Texans, Joe Burrow’s Cincinnati Bengals, Josh Allen’s Buffalo Bills, or Aaron Rodgers’ New York Jets, among other title contenders boasting elite quarterbacks and wide receivers, there could be much pressure placed on Kansas CIty’s secondary in 2024.
Trent McDuffie a Key X-Factor for Kansas City Chiefs
ESPN NFL analyst Ben Solak put together a list of each team’s X-Factor for the upcoming season, including cornerback Trent McDuffie holding down that mantle for the Chiefs.
“McDuffie is probably the unquestioned “best” player on this list,” Solak writes for ESPN. “As X factors are often young players in new starting roles or late-career veterans with a questionable amount of juice remaining. But with the trade of L’Jarius Sneed in March, McDuffie has become an even more critical player for the Chiefs.
“Here’s the problem with McDuffie: He’s too good at everything. His prowess as a slot corner allowed the Chiefs to play Sneed outside from much of last season. From that nickel spot, McDuffie could cover or blitz or defend the run or take on a block or swing to deep safety, and he did it all with aplomb. But ideally, when a corner as talented as Sneed leaves so many snaps on the outside and a team has such a talented cover man in McDuffie on the roster, it bumps him outside and forgets about it.”
McDuffie’s elite ball-skills, as illustrated by holding opposing wide receivers to just 10.7 yards per reception when targeting him last season, combined with his versatility to line up in the slot or on the perimeter make him a dynamic weapon for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
It’s possible Kansas City viewed McDuffie’s immediate impact and potentially even loftier ceiling as confidence to deal Snead to the Tennessee Titans this offseason.
If McDuffie can build on last season, the Chiefs’ secondary is going to be even more difficult to throw on in 2024.
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