How can Jeff Bassa help the Chiefs in Year 1?

Breaking down how the rookie may contribute.

The Kansas City Chiefs selected Oregon linebacker Jeff Bassa in the fifth round of the NFL Draft. A four-year starter for the Ducks, Bassa was an All-Pac 12 performer as the weak-side linebacker.

The Chiefs have their three starting linebackers slotted, but Bassa will have a chance to come in as a rookie and provide quality depth while also contributing on special teams.

Player profile

Bassa entered Oregon as a safety but quickly became a linebacker during his freshman season. He would play this position for the next four seasons and was highly productive during his time in Eugene.

He finished his senior season with 54 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, while leading his team to a College Football Playoff appearance. After a solid season, Bassa declared for the NFL draft and participated at the NFL Scouting Combine in March.

At only 6’1” and 232 lbs., Bassa is undersized by traditional standards to play linebacker in the NFL, but with a solid 40-yard dash time, he is above average in his speed testing.

Bassa’s solid 40-yard dash time could be attributed to his background as a secondary player and shows the foundation for his game.

Bassas excelled as a coverage backer, and the Chiefs will use this and other aspects of his mobility to their advantage.

Field stretching

Bassa has good speed, and his mobility gave him the range to defend multiple areas of the field regardless of the down and distance.

The obvious area where Bassa will be able to help contribute right away is in pass coverage.

Bassa played well against tight ends in college and covered flats and post routes. This comes as an obvious need for the Chiefs, who struggled against tight ends during the 2024 season, giving up the third-most yards of any team in the league.

Bassa also played well in the flats and showed off his sideline-to-sideline speed nearly every game.

Having linebackers with speed is needed at any level of football. With the teams on Oregon’s schedule, Bassa became a key contributor against reverse looks and other misdirection plays.

Bassa is a high-IQ player, and he recognizes plays quickly. On misdirection, this allows him to get into space quickly and make stops. A solid tackler as well, Bassa does a great job of lining up his targets and making contact with good form.

Having good speed and a solid background of coverage knowledge should give Bassa an edge against other linebackers coming out of the college ranks.

Run defense

Bassa has room to grow in the run game. The inconsistencies in his play are likely due to his lack of experience playing in the box, where he is not a natural or instinctive player. Despite this, he has shown flashes of being a talented run defender and is willing to get his hands dirty.

As a good tackler, Bassa knows the fundamentals of how and where to attack ball carriers to get them to the ground. The area where he needs the most work is shedding blockers, but he is a willing player, and over time, he started to develop the fundamentals needed to work his way off blockers and make plays around the line of scrimmage.

Playing the run will never be Bassa’s strength in the NFL — and that is OK, because the Chiefs likely envision a role for him where needing to play in run support is minimal.

Role with the Chiefs

Bassa will likely be a four-phase special-teams player candidate early in his career. He has the speed and tackling ability to make an impact on the punt and kickoff team immediately, and he should be able to parlay his ability to line up players in space to lay down blocks for the punt return and kickoff return teams.

This could be the only role Bassa plays on the Chiefs as a rookie unless an injury occurs and his numbers are called at some point to step in at linebacker.

Bassa is far too raw a player, and the Chiefs have other established options in the linebacker room who could fill in ahead of him if there were an injury.

The Chiefs’ linebacker room will likely comprise Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill, Leo Chenal, Jack Cochrane — and some combination of Cam Jones, Cole Christensen, and Bassa to round out the unit.

As a fifth-round pick, Bassa will have to show that he is good enough to contribute on special teams and get on the field if his number is called.

Bassa isn’t similar to many of the Chiefs’ linebackers on the roster, but that doesn’t mean the team couldn’t find a role for him in the future. He might not be a full-time NFL starter, but he has the potential to play in the Chiefs’ Nickel and Dime looks in the future on passing downs.

The Chiefs may convert him to more of a safety-linebacker hybrid role — specifically for those passing down situations where they go to the nickel or dime looks — but that will likely be down the road.

In the meantime, Bassa’s most direct path to seeing the field will be as a special-teams contributor. It will be a no-thrills role, but if he excels, it could keep him in the NFL for the next decade.