The Kansas City Chiefs knew that some roster reshuffling would be necessary this offseason after the AFC juggernaut missed out on the playoffs following the 2025 campaign.
Of the areas most impacted, thus far, the defensive secondary stands out, as players like Trent McDuffie, Bryan Cook, Jaylen Watson, and Josh Williams are no longer on the roster. On the other side of the coin, Chiefs GM Brett Veach has brought in CB Kader Kohou and safety Alohi Gilman.
It remains to be seen how this group looks by the time training camp rolls around, as more additions could ultimately come in April's draft, but one player in particular might feel the impact of the new faces in the secondary more than others.
Chris Roland-Wallace Facing New Competition for Starting Role
After entering the league in 2024 as a UDFA who earned a spot in Kansas City, Chris Roland-Wallace was a reserve defensive back and special teams contributor during the 2025 campaign. At the start of the offseason, he looked primed for another potential promotion once the 2026 season rolled around. Now, however, he is facing new competition to see the field as more than a depth piece with the arrivals of Kohou and Gilman.
While Roland-Wallace has 28 appearances for the Chiefs under his belt, including four starts, his experience doesn't match that of either of the new additions to the roster. The former USC Trojans standout had an overall Pro Football Focus grade of 78.8 this past season, but didn't see the field for enough snaps to qualify for the positional rankings. This is a big part of why he could be fighting an uphill battle once the offseason program that leads to this fall's training camp kicks off.
With Gilman all but locked into the starting free safety spot, and Kahou likely to be in the thick of any competition for the nickel cornerback spot, Roland-Wallace is going to have to show out in every opportunity he has if he wants to put himself in a position to demand playing time by being too beneficial to the defense to take off the field.
The fact that Roland-Wallace has made plays around the ball, two interceptions and one forced fumble, when his number is called will help his cause, but that trend must keep up if the 24-year-old wants to take the next step in his progression and be a starter on the Chiefs' defense.
After having his 2025 campaign cut short following a lower back injury that landed Roland-Wallace on the injured reserve, it is understandable why Kansas City's front office would bring in veterans to bolster the secondary. If Roland-Wallace can play his way into the starting lineup over Kohou, that should be more than fine with Veach and the coaching staff.