Kansas City Chiefs: Breeland Speaks’ 2020 role unclear

By John McCarty | Feb 13, 2020

Breeland Speaks #57 of the Kansas City Chiefs (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images) /

The headliner of a disappointing 2018 draft class, defensive lineman Breeland Speaks could play an important role for the Kansas City Chiefs as they work to retool their roster

Uncertainty rules the land as fans far and wide wonder what exactly is going on with the Kansas City Chiefs free agents, many of whom played significant role in bringing a Super Bowl home to Kansas City for the first time in 50 years.

In the darkness is hope, or at least the potential for some hope. One of those glimmers of hope could be third year defensive lineman Breeland Speaks.

Originally a second round pick with the intent of being moved to linebacker, Speaks was moved back to a much more natural defensive line position before a knee injury in the preseason ended his second year before it really got started. With so much depth set to be free agents next season, Speaks will need to step up his play for the Chiefs for the 2020 season.

More from Kansas City Chiefs

Can Speaks, with an ability to get up the field, help replace Chris Jones if he departs after this season, playing alongside Derrick Nnadi? Does Speaks play along the left side where Emmanuel Ogbah had lined up for much of the season and help to replace contribute in the pass rush? These are questions the Chiefs will need to be asking.

Currently, the defensive tackles are Derrick Nnadi and Khalen Saunders along with ends Alex Okafor and Frank Clark. Along with Tanoh Kpassagon, Speaks forms a pair of linemen somewhat without a position but capable of helping with depth at a minimum along multiple spots along the defensive line. Speaks will need to step up in 2020 and contribute when asked to help the defense continue to grow and develop.

The bigger concern is if Speaks is unable to contribute and if he is unable to become a player along the defense. For as good as the 2019 draft was for the Chiefs, the 2018 draft appears at this point to be that bad.

Speaks has been a non-contributor basically since he was drafted, Dorian O’Daniel struggled to get on the field, and Armani Watts has been reduced to third strong safety and potential cut next year. Only Derrick Nnadi has made any level of impact.

However, with the departures of many – if not all – the defensive line free agents, the Chiefs are going to need Speaks to emerge and step up.

Does he need to be a star or even a starter? No, but he has to prove himself capable of at least being a part of the defensive line rotation, capable of providing depth along the line at multiple positions. Kpassagnon has done that in his third season, helping contribute at multiple spots in a sub packages.

Can Speaks do that? Do the Chiefs think he can? We’ll find out.

Home/Kansas City Chiefs