There’s plenty of talk about the offensive side of the ball with the Kansas City Chiefs, but the defensive side of the ball and Steve Spagnuolo have earned a reputation.
One of the chief reasons behind Drue Tranquill’s defection from the Los Angeles Chargers to Kansas City is none other than Spagnuolo. The longtime NFL defensive coordinator has a reputation for putting his players, veterans and rookies alike, in a position to succeed. That all starts with finding out what they do best — and for a versatile player like Tranquill — that means the sky is the limit.
Tranquill joined NFL Network’s “NFL Total Access” on Thursday and shared some thoughts on his fit with his new coach and his new team.
“I just love what Spags does with his players,” Tranquill said, via NFL.com. “He puts them in positions to be successful. I think one of my key traits is my versatility: my ability to defend the run, play the pass, play man-to-man, zone coverage, make plays on the ball down the field. And I think one of the things that kinda sets me apart as a linebacker is my ability to rush the passer. Spags obviously does a lot of different things with blitzes, so I’m excited to see what we’re able to put together and try to get back-to-back (championships) here.”
The 27-year-old is coming off of a career year in Los Angeles during the 2022 NFL season. He posted 146 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 15 total pressures, five sacks, one interception and four passes defended in 17 regular season games. He was also one of the best players on the field in the Chargers’ lone playoff game last season, recording five total tackles, an interception and a pass defended.
Tranquill’s contributions as a pass-rusher are certainly intriguing given Spagnuolo’s tendency toward elaborate blitz packages. We know that he’s not afraid to send an extra defender, including a linebacker. Nick Bolton, Willie Gay Jr. and Darius Harris combined for six total sacks in Kansas City just a season ago.
