Kansas City Chiefs: Five Takeaways From OTAs

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Dec 28, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs fans show their support for safety Eric Berry (29) (not pictured) during the second half against the San Diego Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 19-7. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

It’s no secret the Chiefs’ defense was solid last season. In addition to being the only team in the NFL that did not allow an opponent to score 30 points in a game, they also gave up the fewest points in the AFC since Baltimore in 2011.

They did all of this without Derrick Johnson and Mike DeVito, and a surprise linebacker in Josh Mauga who led the team in tackles.

They also did not have Eric Berry for most of the season while he was (and still is) battling cancer.

However, not only did the defense have a strong OTA opening session, but Berry finished his rounds of treatment and is now awaiting test results.

It doesn’t mean he is out of the woods, but everyone around him is saying he is fighting this disease as hard as possible.

While Berry is recovering off the field, the rest of the defense, outside of the no-show Houston, is shaping up nicely.

As mentioned earlier, the are getting healthier, and should only progress.

2014 first-round draft pick Dee Ford should be learning from veterans Johnson and Hali.

Cornerback Phillip Gaines is showing huge, pun intended, gains, in his second season, and with no significant departures, it should be a stingy unit once again. This year’s first-round draft pick, cornerback Marcus Peters hasn’t even been able to show his stuff because of a silly NCAA/NFL rule prohibiting rookies from practicing until after graduation.

Sports Illustrated’s Peter King ranked the Chiefs fourth in his June 1 Monday Morning Quarterback Power Rankings. He stated the obvious that Houston must return but that he likes “most everything else about the Chiefs’ ability to play in January.”

While the offense must carry its weight, make no mistake it’s this defense that is coming together nicely that will make or break the season.

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