The Kansas City Chiefs are set to kick off training camp in just a few weeks, and with the annual trek to St. Joseph nearly here, we're examining every position group on the roster heading into camp.
We'll continue with the linebackers, where the Chiefs currently employ nine players. Let's take a look at each, beginning with last year's starters in Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill and Leo Chenal. The rest of the Chiefs' linebackers are then listed alphabetically.
Nick Bolton
The signal caller of the league's No. 4 scoring defense in 2024, Bolton recorded 106 tackles, six passes defensed and an interception in 16 games last season. It marked his third season (out of four with Kansas City) in which he reached the 100-tackle mark.
A second-round pick in 2021, Bolton re-signed with the Chiefs back in March. He has appeared in 57 games (with 53 starts) during his time in Kansas City, often serving as the "green dot," which means he calls the defense on the field. His leadership has been integral to a unit that leads the NFL in scoring defense since 2023 (and ranks third in the league since 2022).
For example, cornerback Trent McDuffie revealed last year that Bolton was responsible for the decision to send McDuffie on a quarterback blitz late in Super Bowl LVIII. McDuffie blew up the play, and in retrospect, the decision may have saved the game.
The Chiefs have won four AFC West titles, three AFC titles and two Super Bowl championships since Bolton arrived in 2021, and heading into 2025, he'll continue to serve as the quarterback of one of the league's best defenses.
Drue Tranquill
Tranquill enters his third season with Kansas City after starting 16 games last year, tallying 94 tackles, four tackles-for-loss and two sacks across 798 defensive snaps.
He has proven to be a versatile member of the Chiefs' linebacker corps during his time in Kansas City, too. It was only two years ago that Tranquill took over as the Chiefs' defensive signal-caller when fellow linebacker Nick Bolton missed a handful of games due to injury mid-season in 2023.
The six-year veteran has been a major component of a Chiefs' defense that has yielded the fewest points in the league since 2023, and after another strong season, Tranquill figures to be a central figure for the Chiefs' defense yet again in 2025.
Leo Chenal
The Chiefs' top-graded linebacker by Pro Football Focus last season, Chenal recorded 60 tackles, four tackles-for-loss, three passes defensed and a sack in 17 regular-season games last year. Additionally, his 13 pressures as a pass-rusher trailed only Drue Tranquill (16) among Chiefs' linebackers.
Chenal has improved his Pro Football Focus "grade" in each of his three seasons, and looking at last year specifically, Chenal – who tallied 139 snaps in coverage – saw his coverage "grade" jump 15 points. In fact, among linebackers with at least 100 coverage snaps in 2024, Chenal ranked eighth in terms of "coverage grade" according to PFF's metrics.
He was also a major contributor on special teams, logging the third-most special teams' snaps (294) of any member of the team.
Jeffrey Bassa
The No. 156 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the 6-foot-1, 228-pound Bassa filled up the stat sheet during his career at Oregon, recording 236 tackles, 13.5 tackles-for-loss, seven passes defensed, 4.5 sacks, three interceptions and two forced fumbles in 55 games (with 43 starts) over the last four years.
He tallied at least 45 tackles in each of his four seasons with the Ducks while also contributing on special teams.
Bassa – the No. 4 linebacker in Dane Brugler's draft guide for The Athletic – began his career as a weakside linebacker before moving to the middle ahead of his junior campaign, which is where he grew into one of Oregon's defensive leaders. He served as Oregon's "green dot" in 2024, meaning he called the defensive plays on the field.
On his post-draft call with reporters, Bassa explained that he feels comfortable playing either middle or weakside linebacker. He added that his primary goal as a rookie will be to learn from linebackers Nick Bolton and Drue Tranquill.
Jack Cochrane
A prime example of how undrafted free agents can carve out a role despite humble beginnings, Cochrane – a rookie free agent signee in 2022 – has appeared in 47 games for the Chiefs over the past three seasons. His 633 special teams' snaps over the last two years lead Kansas City, and when called upon, Cochrane has logged defensive snaps in 10 career games.
Cochrane suffered a broken ankle in Week 16 of last season and missed the remainder of the year, but now healthy, he'll aim to make the Chiefs' roster for a fourth-straight year in 2025.
Cole Christiansen
Christiansen, who originally signed with the Chiefs' practice squad in early September of the 2022 season, has appeared in 12 games for Kansas City over the past three years. He tallied a career-most nine appearances last season – playing exclusively on special teams – and also took the field for all three of the Chiefs' postseason games.
The 27-year-old linebacker appeared in seven games for the Los Angeles Chargers between the 2020-21 seasons before signing with Kansas City.
Brandon George
An undrafted free agent signee from the University of Pittsburgh this offseason, George – who recorded 717 defensive snaps last season – tallied 80 tackles, 26 pressures, 5.5 tackles-for-loss, three forced fumbles and a pass defensed in 2024.
He put together an impressive performance at his pro day, too, logging a 42.5-inch vertical jump at 6-foot-3 and 246 pounds.
George compiled a strong offseason training program and will be a player to watch during camp.
Cooper McDonald
The 6-foot-2, 235-pound McDonald tallied 25 tackles, four tackles-for-loss, three sacks, a forced fumble and a pass defensed in nine games for TCU last season. Prior to his time with the Horned Frogs, McDonald spent two seasons each at Washington (2020-21) and San Diego State (2022-23).
He earned himself a contract following a successful tryout at rookie minicamp in May.
Cam Jones
Jones is back for his third season with the Chiefs after appearing in all 17 regular-season games last year. Jones was a core contributor on special teams throughout the campaign, logging the fourth-most special teams' snaps of any Chiefs player with 284.
Prior to joining the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2023, Jones was the No. 15 overall linebacker in the 2022 draft class according to The Athletic's Dane Brugler. He projected Jones to be selected in the fifth or sixth round in his pre-draft guide, writing the following:
"Overall, Jones' take-on and shed skills require further maintenance, but his instincts and short-area quicks lead him to the football, where he looks to create violent collisions as a tackler. He is a ready-made special teamer with the talent to inch his way up the linebacker depth chart."
The 6-foot-1, 226-pound linebacker racked up 208 tackles, 13.5 tackles-for-loss, 11 passes defensed, seven sacks, five forced fumbles and two interceptions in 47 career games (23 starts) at Indiana from 2018-22. He also played on kick and punt return coverage in all five of his seasons.
Additionally, Brugler wrote that Jones was on his way to a career year in 2022 before suffering a season-ending foot injury midway through the campaign. Prior to the injury, he was leading the Big Ten in tackles-per-game (10.8) through five contests.
The Bottom Line
The Chiefs kept five linebackers for Week 1 last season, but they've retained as many as six (2023) and as few as four (2022) in recent years.
Notably, all five linebackers who made the team last year are still with Kansas City in Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill, Leo Chenal, Jack Cochrane and Cam Jones. Rookie Jeffrey Bassa turned in a great spring and seems in good position to make the team, too.
All that being said, behind Bolton, Tranquill and Chenal, it's fair to say that the remaining spots in the linebacker room – whether it be just one slot or as many as three – will be up for grabs between the remaining six players currently in the linebacker corps. As always with this position, the final guys who make it will have demonstrated their value on special teams – in addition to the defense – throughout camp, just as Cochrane and Christiansen have over the years.
