As Kansas City Chiefs fans continue to react to the schedule release and consider early-season concerns, there is one they should be prepared for. KC's 2026 offseason was defined by a reset in the secondary that saw the team embrace youth with second-year corner Nohl Williams being elevated into the starting lineup alongside the sixth-overall pick, Mansoor Delane. Veteran Alohi Gilman was signed in free agency as well to help the Chiefs at safety.
Looking at the team's rostered defensive backs, it becomes clear just how much change has happened over the last two seasons. Kansas City is trusting defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to continue to get the most out of this roster and elevate young players, who inevitably are going to struggle to start the season.
Fans should be prepared for a new group to make a handful of mistakes and have more than one shaky moment early in the season. This is going to be an expected growing pain for a franchise that is embracing youth and understanding the risks that come with this. Even as great as Delane is expected to be, the corner is going to have rookie moments, just as each of Kansas City's new pieces will make mistakes as they adjust.
Chiefs fans shouldn't overreact if young secondary struggles early in the 2026 Season
Free agent addition Kader Kohuo and fourth-round draft pick Jadon Canady are two other notable offseason additions, with the corners expected to each compete for playing time as well. This speaks to the open mind KC has approached heading into the summer, and the lack of proven starters currently rostered.
While fans have every reason to believe that Spagnuolo will get this unit figured out and developed, there should be some early-season growing pains. The good news for Kansas City is that the toughest stretch of their schedule is slated to start in Week 12.
This gives the coaching staff more than enough time to patch any holes and have the new look secondary caught up to speed. For the Chiefs, this was a needed defensive retool if the dynasty were to remain alive, with cap space simply not allowing Kansas City to pay what the market demanded of defensive backs who were due new contracts.
Instead, the Chiefs went bargain hunting in free agency, trusted the development of Williams, and spent valuable draft picks to add to the position. This sets up what is going to be an exciting competition and a unit that will unquestionably find its footing after some early stumbles.
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