The Kansas City Chiefs knew they needed to change the culture defensively this offseason. Replacing longtime stalwarts with younger players who better fit the scheme ran by new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo wouldn't be enough by itself. The Chiefs had to find another way to get rid of the bad taste in the entire franchise's mouth in the wake of defensive breakdown after defensive breakdown costing them their first Super Bowl appearance since 1963.
Obviously, Kansas City is still in the early stages of preparing for the 2019 season. As Spagnuolo tells it, though, the intangibles that star offseason additions Tyrann Mathieu and Frank Clark have already brought to the table are paying off for the Chiefs defensively.
“Sometimes, it’s really difficult in free agency in this league to find out the intangible thing, the things you can’t see on film,” he said of Clark and Mathieu, per The Athletic's Nate Taylor. “You’ve got to dig deep. (General manager) Brett (Veach) and his staff did a great job, and we knew what we were getting. We haven’t played a game yet, but from a standpoint 0f practice and how hard they work, it’s been really, really good.”
Mathieu signed a three-year, $42 million deal with the Chiefs in free agency. A Pro Bowler and First-Team All Pro in 2015, the veteran safety been lauded throughout his career for his leadership. Clark, meanwhile, was acquired from the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for first and second-round picks in the 2019 NFL Draft. He had a career-high 13 sacks last season, also finishing with 27 quarterback hits.
Kansas City finished second-to-last in yards allowed last season, and allowed multiple third-and-long conversions on successive drives late in their heartbreaking loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game. The team has parted ways with several entrenched starters on defense this offseason, including Eric Berry, Justin Houston, and Dee Ford.
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