3 Chiefs breakout candidates ready to shine in 2022
By John Buhler
Look for these three players on the Kansas City Chiefs to potentially have breakout seasons.
With a loaded roster, the Kansas City Chiefs should once again be among the very best teams in the NFL this season.
Even after a few key departures from their core of the last few seasons, the Chiefs should be a playoff team in the deep AFC, one way or another. While there is no denying how good the AFC West is as a division, top to bottom, Kansas City missing the playoffs this fall is just unfathomable at this point. Regardless, the Chiefs will need a few young players to step up in a big way this year.
Keep an eye on these players to be among those who really take their games up a level or two.
Kansas City Chiefs: 3 candidates primed for breakout campaigns this season
player. 124. CB. 3. Kansas City Chiefs. Trent McDuffie. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
Trent McDuffie will have his opportunities to make plays in the KC secondary
After losing Tyrann Mathieu to the New Orleans Saints and Charvarius Ward to the San Francisco 49ers in their respective free agencies, the Chiefs needed to make a big move to bolster their weakened secondary. Though he may not be a panacea to what ails them right away, rookie cornerback Trent McDuffie can absolutely ball. Look for the former Washington standout to shine.
Kansas City used its first of two first-round picks on the Huskies star defensive back in the 2022 NFL Draft. While they may have only been smokescreens, there was a time when McDuffie was potentially in the mix to go top 10. He ended up falling to the Chiefs at No. 21 overall. Kansas City snagged George Karlaftis a few picks later at No. 30, but McDuffie has the greater opportunity.
Though the former Purdue standout could be a tremendous draft pick for the Chiefs as well, McDuffie will get more credit as a rookie because of what he may have to do in the defensive backfield. Karlaftis will be playing in the trenches alongside Kansas City’s best defensive player in Chris Jones. As for McDuffie, look for Steve Spagnuolo to lean on him right away in the back-end.
It may be a steeper learning curve for him, but McDuffie will get better by his sheer amount of reps.