Steve Spagnuolo didn’t sugarcoat where the Chiefs’ defense stands in camp. The Kansas City coordinator said Tuesday that the group is still working through the kind of growing pains that come with a roster full of new faces, and it’s taking longer than he wants.
“It’s not as quickly as I’d like to, to be honest with you,” Spagnuolo said. “It’s been a little slow-moving.
And (safety) Alohi Gilman, he’s new. It’s not like you have guys around some of these young corners that have been through it.”
That’s the reality for a defense that is expected to feature at least six new base starters in 2026, with three of those changes in the secondary. In previous seasons, veterans like Trent McDuffie and Bryan Cook could help steady things as the unit sorted itself out on the fly. This time, Spagnuolo is still trying to get the pieces on the field at the same time.
Gilman, despite having five years of experience, is still getting comfortable after arriving as a free agent.
“There’s a learning curve for him,” Spagnuolo said of Gilman. “But it’s going to take a little while.
And then we’ve got a bunch of guys that we think we might be banking on during the regular season, they’re not even out there practicing. So it’s going to take some time for that to come together.”
The Chiefs released their first unofficial depth chart Monday night ahead of Saturday’s preseason opener against the Los Angeles Rams at Arrowhead Stadium, and the defensive alignment reflected how much uncertainty remains. Veteran L’Jarius Sneed and second-year corner Nohl Williams were listed as the starters, with Kristian Fulton and No. 6 overall pick Mansoor Delane behind them.
“That’s really hard,” Spagnuolo said. “L.J.’s been in the league for a while.
Nohl has, too. That’s probably why (vice president of football communications) Brad (Gee) did it that way.
Neither L.J. or Delane has really practiced very much. So we’re way down the road on all of that.”
Sneed’s workload has dropped off during camp. Early on, he was at least going through warmups and installs before leaving before team periods. More recently, he hasn’t even been doing that and has instead been on the field without a helmet.
Delane, meanwhile, has been working back from a shoulder injury he suffered during OTAs. He has worn a yellow non-contact jersey throughout camp, though this week brought a step forward when he was cleared for padded 7-on-7 drills. He still has not been cleared for 11-on-11 work.
“Health will be a big issue, continuity, how many reps they’ve had going in,” Spagnuolo said. “We’ll see when we get to the first game.”
The secondary isn’t the only spot Spagnuolo is piecing together. He also has to find a way to replace linebacker Leo Chenal, who filled a wide range of roles in the defense. Veteran Drue Tranquill has been sidelined for a week with back spasms, which has forced Spagnuolo to spend more time studying the other options: Jeff Bassa, Jack Cochrane and Cooper McDonald.
“I like what Jeff’s been doing,” Spagnuolo said. “Jack is a jack of all trades.
When you’re watching, you see he plays every spot there, whether we’re in sub, whether we’re in base. I just think it’s an opportunity with some of these guys out for those other guys to step up and get a lot of reps.”
Bassa, a fifth-round pick out of Oregon last year, spent most of his rookie season on special teams. With Chenal now in Washington with the Commanders, there’s a real opening for more defensive snaps.
“It makes a huge difference when you can come here to St. Joe after your second wave of OTAs because they had their rookie year,” Spagnuolo said.
“I just think they feel more comfortable. When they get tired, it isn’t as taxing because you know a little bit more about the defense.”
As for Saturday’s game against the Rams, Spagnuolo said he’ll be watching for tackling and for defenders who can get off blocks. He also made clear he hasn’t loved the physicality he’s seen over the past few days.
There’s still time for the Chiefs to clean it up. But not a lot. In camp, the days feel endless, and the calendar doesn’t wait.
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