The Kansas City Chiefs have switched into offseason mode with Sunday's finale ending what has been by far the worst year in the Patrick Mahomes era. Now, not only do the Chiefs need to worry about creating cap space to retool an underwhelming roster, but the franchise must deal with the persistent rumors of losing star defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, too.
Steve Spagnuolo continues to prove he is one of the league's elite coordinators and has shown that he deserves to be a head coach one day, perhaps as early as next season. If the worst-case scenario does happen and Spagnuolo is stolen away, it is fair to wonder which players could follow the coach.
With that in mind, here are four Chiefs who could end up following Spagnuolo to his next potential destination.
1. Jaylen Watson, CB
Jaylen Watson has already said goodbye to the Chiefs and the fan base, appearing to signal a lack of interest in a potential reunion. While there is always a chance that this is simply a negotiation tactic, it makes sense for Watson to potentially follow Spagnuolo into a new landing spot. His four-year career has been spent under Kansas City's DC, and following him out of town might help his career progress.
As we've seen throughout the Spagnuolo's tenure, simply having one reliable corner allows you to scheme a far more consistent defense. Being able to shade coverage to one side and rely on Watson is exactly the type of stability Spagnuolo will hope to bring with him if the coordinator were to take a head coach role.
According to Pro Football Focus, Watson allowed on 34-of-58 targets (58.6%) for 430 yards without a touchdown, breaking up three passes while hauling in two interceptions along the way. That's the exact type of reliability Spagnuolo will want wherever he goes.
2. Bryan Cook, S
Any team that Spagnuolo jumps to is likely going to be an ideal situation in terms of young defensive pieces and ample cap space. This should be followed by the coordinator stealing not only Watson, but also Bryan Cook. Cook amassed 64 solo tackles on the season and six passes broken up in the 2025 season, while the 65.6% completion rate he allowed was a new personal best.
Adding both Cook and Watson or either player individually goes a long way in solidifying any secondary that Spagnuolo is taking over. It makes sense to target accomplished players he's familiar with and knows he can rely on when attempting to turn around any struggling franchise. This leaves the Chiefs staring at the very real possibility of losing two key starters from the defensive backfield.
3. Dave Merritt, DBs Coach
Dave Merritt is currently serving as Kansas City's defensive backs coach and has an extensive history with Spagnuolo. Starting his coaching career in 1997, Merritt first crossed paths with Spagnuolo when the two were on the same coaching staff with the New York Giants in the 2007 season. The two would continue to cross paths, building up to both joining the Kansas City coaching staff in the 2019 season.
If Spagnuolo gets a head coaching job, it makes sense to steal a defensive coordinator from a staff you're familiar with working with. Merritt has the most history and is by far the most qualified to take on the position. It would be a frustrating loss for the Chiefs, but a great choice in a coach who has been patiently waiting for his turn to make a jump to the next level of coaching.
Merritt has been coaching in the NFL since 2001, offering more than two decades of experience, leaving every reason to believe he will have job security from either Kansas City or Spagnuolo, no matter how the offseason plays out.
4. Leo Chenal, LB
Leo Chenal changes any defense he steps into with the potential to fit so many different schemes and cover up mistakes of the defensive line. Chenal is an aggressive run defender and a tone setter for Spagnuolo's unit. Chenal is also yet another key Chiefs defender whose contract is expiring, setting up the linebacker to hit free agency in March.
For Spagnuolo, it makes sense to entertain a reunion no matter his landing spot. Chenal had 58 tackles this past season to go along with a pair of sacks and a lone interception. He can be plugged into the middle of any defense and offer improvement and flexibility that Spagnuolo is understandably going to want to chase, making it easy to see why the Chiefs should be worried about losing him.
Chenal makes sense as a Kansas City re-signing and is one of the reasons why the Chiefs were able to limit teams to 19.3 points per game, making the franchise the sixth-best scoring defense in the league. He was a huge piece of this, and is going to generate interest not only from the Chiefs, but in any potential landing spot for Spagnuolo.