Trent McDuffie responds to major Chiefs offseason question

The Chiefs’ most notable alteration this offseason was the departure of L’Jarius Sneed.

He established himself as one of the NFL’s top defensive players on his way to the team’s second consecutive Super Bowl victory, frequently shadowing opposition receivers while allowing First-Team All-Pro Trent McDuffie to roam the field.

A significant question for the squad is how the defense will replace Sneed. No one can directly mimic his skill set, but Kansas City expects several promising young players to come up.

Nate Taylor’s recent story in The Athletic highlighted McDuffie’s ambition to take over Sneed’s No. 1 shadow role.

Trent McDuffie Reveals Desire to Take Over L’Jarius Sneed Role

New story. Despite the L’Jarius Sneed trade, the Chiefs’ secondary is confident its coverage can be just as effective.

The entire unit, featuring 18 players, participated in the Chiefs’ practices last week, a rarity for this time of the year. https://t.co/JbMTIidxpv

— Nate Taylor (@ByNateTaylor) May 29, 2024

McDuffie stated, “I don’t know if it’s a need, but it’s definitely something that, as a competitor, it’s 100 percent what I want to do, getting to line up against the best receivers each week.”

With McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Joshua Williams, Chamarri Conner, and Nazeeh Johnson, the Chiefs’ secondary remains powerful and young. Despite losing Sneed, Kansas City should once again have one of the league’s best defenses.

McDuffie had a remarkable five forced fumbles in 2023-24, but it appears like he will be used more in a genuine shadow position heading ahead. Steve Spagnuolo likes to disguise his coverages, so Watson or Williams may shadow from time to time, with McDuffie occasionally blitzing off the edge, like he did in Super Bowl.

In any case, McDuffie is one of the defense’s most crucial players. If he continues to emerge as one of the NFL’s top cornerbacks, the Chiefs’ path to another Super Bowl will be much easier.

Kansas City has the second-best Super Bowl odds at +600 at FanDuel Sportsbook, trailing only the San Francisco 49ers. However, those odds will be a steal if McDuffie has a year like Sneed’s, with Watson or Williams breaking out alongside him.