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4 things the Kansas City Chiefs need to thrive in 2021 season

By Leigh Oleszczak

The Kansas City Chiefs stand in the tunnel prior to a game against the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium on December 06, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
The Kansas City Chiefs stand in the tunnel prior to a game against the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium on December 06, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /
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Mizzou Football Missouri Tigers Nick Bolton
Missouri Tigers linebacker Nick Bolton (32) -Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports /

What do the Kansas City Chiefs need for the 2021 season in order to stay at the top of the pack? 

The end of the 2020 season left a bitter taste in Kansas City Chiefs‘ fans’ mouths, as the team was demolished in Super Bowl LV by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Chiefs scored just nine points and couldn’t do much of anything nor could they stop the Buccaneers from scoring. It was an ugly performance and unfortunately, there wasn’t another game remaining on the schedule to try and cheer us up.

So, what can be done for the Chiefs to thrive again in 2021? What does this team need in order to stay where they’ve been the past two years?

Kansas City Chiefs need to thrive in 2021: Game-changing linebacker

It’s no secret that the Chiefs have struggled to find a sideline-to-sideline linebacker ever since they parted ways with Derrick Johnson following the 2017 season. Johnson was an elusive linebacker who could make plays anywhere on the field. The Chiefs need that kind of player again and right now, that guy isn’t on their roster.

Sure, we liked what we saw from rookie Willie Gay at the end of the season, but he was injured in Week 17 and didn’t play in the postseason. Anthony Hitchens is back and coming off a decent season, but he certainly hasn’t been the guy the Chiefs thought they were getting when they inked him to a large contract several years ago. There’s also Ben Niemann, but I’m not sure I even need to detail why he’s not a promising option moving forward.

The Chiefs couldn’t stop the run last year and this isn’t a new trend. They haven’t been able to defend the run well in previous years and it always comes back to bite them in the playoffs (and it did once again in Super Bowl). A linebacker capable of making big plays and being there for the big tackles would make a huge difference for this Chiefs defense.

Personally, Nick Bolton out of Missouri would be my pick for the Chiefs in the first round if he’s still there. Bolton would make an immediate impact and would give Kansas City the game-changing linebacker this defense desperately needs.

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