Pre-Camp Reads: Looking at LB Josh Mauga

Over the next few weeks, we will be taking a closer look at players on the Chiefs roster

Jul 05, 2016 at 11:00 PM

Since sitting out the 2013 season due to injury, Kansas City Chiefs inside linebacker Josh Mauga has made himself a career in Kansas City.

Originally added to the team during training camp in 2014 to provide linebacker depth and help on special teams, Mauga's role increased rather rapidly with the Week 1 ruptured Achilles injury to Derrick Johnson that cost him his season.

All of a sudden, Mauga became the starter calling all of the defensive plays, and at season's end, he led the 9-7 Chiefs with 103 (82 solo) tackles.

Mauga stuck around in 2015 and played the Mike (middle inside) role for a returning Johnson, who recently discussed how thrilled he is to see Mauga back with him in 2016.

"I've played with 10 or 11 Mike backers, so to actually play next to a Mike backer that I played with in back-to-back years? It's wonderful," Johnson said at the beginning of OTAs. "It's all about chemistry. [Mauga] knowing me, I'm knowing him, knowing what I'm going to do and him reacting off of that, probably more so him reacting off of me.

"I do a lot of crazy stuff in there sometimes, but Josh is a veteran guy and he knows the defense in and out and we're going to depend on him and other guys at that position."

SEASON REVIEW

With the returning Johnson and the addition of rookie Ramik Wilson through the draft, Mauga had less of a workload in 2015 (1,005 defensive snaps in 2014 to 462 in 2015). That considered, his numbers remained solid.

Mauga started 14 games for the Chiefs, recording 58 (46 solo) tackles, 1 sack and 2 interceptions.

Mauga made one of the biggest defensive plays of the season in the Wild Card game against the Houston Texans. With the Chiefs up 13-0 with 3 minutes and 53 seconds to go in the first half, quarterback Brian Hoyer had the Texans on the Kansas City 3-yard-line for second-and-goal.

Hoyer attempted to find running back Alfred Blue across the middle, but Mauga stepped in front of the ball, picked it off and ran it back to the Chiefs 20-yard line. Of course, the Chiefs went on to win the game 30-0, their first playoff win in more than two decades.

HOW HE FITS

In his third season with the Chiefs, Mauga joins Johnson, Tamba Hali and Frank Zombo as the veteran leadership in a young Chiefs linebackers room.

Chiefs Linebackers
#	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Age	Exp.	College
52	Adams, Tyrell	6-2	228	24	1	West Georgia
57	Alexander, D.J.	6-2	233	24	2	Oregon State
55	Ford, Dee	6-2	252	25	3	Auburn
91	Hali, Tamba	6-3	275	32	11	Penn State
50	Houston, Justin	6-3	258	27	6	Georgia
56	Johnson, Derrick	6-3	242	33	12	Texas
59	March, Justin	6-0	222	22	2	Akron
46	Massaquoi, Jonathan	6-2	264	28	4	Troy
90	Mauga, Josh	6-1	245	28	7	Nevada
54	Moses, Dezman	6-2	249	27	5	Tulane
62	Mulumba, Andy	6-3	260	26	3	Eastern Michigan
52	Nicolas, Dadi	6-3	235	23	R	Virginia Tech
62	Smith, Terrance	6-2	235	23	R	Florida State
53	Wilson, Ramik	6-2	237	23	2	Georgia
51	Zombo, Frank	6-3	254	29	7	Central Michigan

2016 OUTLOOK

In 2016, Mauga will provide familiarity as he once again joins Johnson in the middle of the Chiefs defense.

Off the field, he has already shown added value as a veteran leader with players like second-year LB Justin March.

"I actually use [my 5-11 height] as an advantage," March said when speaking about evading blocks this offseason. "I'm lower than those guys, I'm shorter, so it's easier to get underneath them. I also use my speed a lot, going back door and kind of learning from D.J. and learning from Josh (Mauga) when he takes on blockers."

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