Heading into the 2026 NFL season, the Kansas City Chiefs linebacker room has been an under-talked-about unit, and one that, unfortunately, could have both a low floor and a low ceiling. The offseason departure of Leo Chenal is going to hurt this team more than help, as the replacement options are unproven and lack the now-Washington Commanders' versatility on the field.
Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquill remain the Chiefs' two key starters as they have for a few years now. Bolton, 26, has been defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's green dot for five years now and a massively relied-upon piece. While Bolton's football IQ and his tackling prowess rank among the best in the league, his athleticism and pass coverage abilities are among the worst.
Tranquill, almost 31 years of age, enters his fourth season with the Chiefs, hoping to rebound not necessarily from a poor statistical season, but rather from a lessened on-field impact, and like Bolton, his coverage abilities need to improve. Spags, whether Chiefs fans like it or not, will stick with these two through thick and thin.
However, the Chiefs are on the hunt for a third guy to really take the reins of the snaps left by Chenal. And second-year UDFA Cooper McDonald is making waves so far in training camp. To make matters better for McDonald, he was also listed as a starter on the Chiefs' first unofficial depth chart.
Second-year UDFA Cooper McDonald is making waves in Chiefs training camp
#Chiefs LB Cooper McDonald is there to bat the pass from Mahomes down. pic.twitter.com/aFOQIpElXX
— Sports Radio 810 WHB (@SportsRadio810) August 12, 2026
The 25-year-old McDonald graduated from TCU in 2024 and came to the Chiefs after the Draft ended, signing a three-year UDFA contract. Of course, in his first year, McDonald barely saw any time on the field in a purely defensive role. He played just 6% of the snaps and recorded just 25 total tackles, most of which came in the final two matchups of a lost season.
McDonald, however, was a core special teams player for coordinator Dave Toub, playing nearly 70% of snaps for that unit. And he performed well in more action. Now entering year two with a semi-starting spot up for grabs and no clear takers, he has slid himself right into contention and perhaps at the top of the heap.
Last year's fifth-round selection, Jeffrey Bassa, has also put together a strong training camp, as he and McDonald could very well be in a two-man race for the next couple of weeks and throughout the Chiefs' trio of preseason games.
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