Leo Chenal didn’t need much convincing when Washington came calling. After four seasons in Kansas City, the linebacker saw a chance for something he hadn’t quite gotten with the Chiefs: a real full-time role.
That was the appeal behind his free-agent move to the Commanders, and Chenal made it clear why the fit felt so natural when he spoke to NFL Network’s The Insiders ahead of training camp.
"It really involves the linebackers, it involves guys playing to their skill set," Chenal said of new Commanders defensive coordinator Daronte Jones ' scheme. "It's really cool being able to walk through different things with coaches and having feedback, feedback to the coaches, them talking to us. They really wanna just have us take advantage of what we're really good at."
For Washington, that kind of setup is exactly what made Chenal attractive. In Kansas City, he was a valuable chess piece for Steve Spagnuolo - a pass rusher here, a run defender there, a spy when the situation demanded it.
He helped the Chiefs win two championship rings before his rookie contract ran out, but he never topped 500 defensive snaps in a season. Last year, he played 445 snaps while Nick Bolton went over 1,000 and Drue Tranquill finished third on the defense with 884.
Now the Commanders are betting on a bigger workload. They gave Chenal a three-year deal worth up to nearly $25 million, and the structure around him suggests they have a clear plan. The defense is built on the Brian Flores blueprint, one that leans hard into versatility and should give Chenal a chance to become a central piece for Dan Quinn’s team.
Washington also used the first round of this year’s draft on Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles, a move that raises the ceiling of a linebacker group that still includes former All-Pro Frankie Luvu. It’s one of the more interesting parts of the Commanders’ offseason overhaul, even if Chenal knows the whole thing still comes back to the quarterback.
That’s why his comments on Jayden Daniels stood out. Daniels is returning after an injury-plagued season, and Chenal came away impressed by what he’s seen and heard.
"When you deal with guys like Mahomes, with Jaden Daniels, and those types of players who could just make plays on the run, in the pocket, whatever it is, what I've heard, he's got great processing skills," Chenal said. "And so far, I've seen it, it's really amazing, and what he's been able to accomplish."
While Chenal settles into a larger role in Washington, Kansas City is looking for its own answer at linebacker. Jeffrey Bassa, a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, spent last season in a redshirt year and now gets the first shot at filling the opening. He came into the league with the “versatile” tag, though Steve Spagnuolo could also mix in other options as camp unfolds.
For Chenal, this is about more responsibility. For the Chiefs, it’s about replacing a player who did a little bit of everything.
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Brashard Smith, Emmett Johnson, Jeff Caldwell and Jacob De Jesus all give the Chiefs different ways to rethink that part of the roster, and the conversation does not stop with the young players already in camp. Veteran free-agent names such as Tyreek Hill, Keenan Allen and Stefon Diggs also linger as the kind of outside possibilities that can change a specialist battle quickly, which is why Remigios hold on a 53-man spot feels anything but secure. [Read more 🡒]