Will there be enough experience in Kansas City’s safety room to run Steve Spagnuolo’s defense in 2025?
When Steve Spagnuolo took over as the Kansas City Chiefs’ defensive coordinator in 2019, one of the team’s first free-agency moves was to sign versatile safety Tyrann Mathieu, who played multiple roles in the secondary (and provided crucial leadership) on the way to the team’s Super Bowl LIV victory.
When Mathieu’s three-year contract ended in 2022, the team signed safety Justin Reid to take his place. Like Mathieu, he came from the Houston Texans, where the two men had played together in 2018. With Reid leading the secondary, Kansas City appeared in three consecutive Super Bowls — winning two of them.
Three years later, Reid has followed Mathieu to the New Orleans Saints, leaving fourth-year player Bryan Cook and second-year safety Jalen Hicks in charge. Just over a week ago, the team brought veteran safety Mike Edwards back into the fold. Edwards won a Super Bowl ring against the Chiefs while playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 — and then another while playing for Kansas City in 2023.
Is having a versatile, veteran safety a critical part of Spagnuolo’s defensive scheme — and if so, will Edwards be able to take that role in his age-29 season? Or will Cook and Hicks be able to carry the load — with Edwards serving as a veteran presence? Let’s talk about it!