The Kansas City Chiefs defense continued to get decimated this season, but should the team move on from coordinator Steve Spagnuolo?
The Kansas City Chiefs looked like they were going to have a revenge tour after they were defeated by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl 55. From the additions they made via free agency and the trade block, the Chiefs were juggernauts on paper. But once the season began, it became evident that the defense was going to be an issue for this team.
On Sunday, the Buffalo Bills picked apart Kansas City’s defense in the first half, as they took a 24-13 lead heading into halftime. Buffalo put up 289 yards of total offense, with 219 of those yards coming from quarterback Josh Allen.
With the team’s struggles through the first month-plus of the 2021 campaign, is it time for the Chiefs to move on from coordinator Steve Spagnuolo?
Should the Chiefs move on from defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo?
The answer to that question is no. This is the roster that Spagnuolo inherited entering the 2021 season.
General manager Brett Veach made the majority of his offseason moves fixing the offensive line, which was a main catalyst for the team getting blown out by the Buccaneers in the Super Bowl. From free agency, the trading block and the NFL Draft, the Chiefs brought in a ton of offensive line depth. As for the defense, not much was addressed.
The defense made significant investments in Frank Clark being their premier edge rusher, as evidenced by his $18.5 million in base salary for this season. So far, he only played in one game (Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens) due to a hamstring injury. That, and he has not lived up to the contract he received in his Chiefs tenure. Linebacker Anthony Hitchens is making $5.8 million for the season, and is not playing great football. That is a lot of money devoted to two players, and they are not producing.
There is still room for improvement, as there are 12 games remaining on the schedule. Who knows, Spagnuolo could turn things around and get the defense to perform up to expectations. He did win two Super Bowls as a defensive coordinator. For now, it is simply too early to make a rash decision.