Kansas City Chiefs: Replacing Derrick Johnson Should Come From Within

DJ Alexander

The most logical answer for the Kansas City Chiefs efforts to replace Derrick Johnson is the continuation of the “next man up” mentality. That should mean DJ Alexander is called up from his spot on the depth chart. It’s a simple and direct solution for the current situation. This is part of what he has been training for.

There are some who believe this move would be detrimental to DJ Alexander and his role on Special Teams. Over the past few weeks, Alexander has emerged as a quality player in both the coverage and return teams. That makes him extremely valuable to the Special Teams unit. However, the need of a reliable  linebacker should supercede that of a Special Teams member.

There is also the potential that DJ Alexander doesn’t replace Derrick Johnson directly. Rather, he could simply fill in on rushing downs when the Chiefs utilized both inside linebackers. That particular defensive formation is not heavily used. It would allow Alexander to be utilized on defense, while keeping him fresh for Special Teams duty as well.