The Kansas City Chiefs have a lot of young, exciting talent at safety.
Bryan Cook, one of the two Chiefs starting safeties, is entering his third year in the NFL. Behind him is second-year man Chamarri Conner and rookie Jaden Hicks. All three have a legitimate chance to make a real impact on the Chiefs' defense in 2024.
Anchoring the safety unit is seven-year veteran Justin Reid, who has been a key piece of Kansas City's defense each of the last two years. Reid has steadily been one of the best safeties in the league since joining the Chiefs and is the leader of the secondary. Nine-year veteran Deon Bush is returning for a third season in K.C.
Let's take a closer look at one of the most intriguing positions for the Chiefs heading into training camp.
Chiefs safety corps overview ahead of training camp
Who are the expected starters:
Strong safety- Justin Reid
Free safety- Bryan Cook
Who is currently hurt:
Cook is coming off an ankle injury that he suffered in Week 13 and cost him the rest of the year. However, he was a full participant during OTAs and should be a full-go for camp, where he'll attempt to knock some rust off and get back to form.
Sorting out the depth behind Reid and Cook
Chamarri Conner is a lock to make the roster and will have a significant role in the Chiefs' secondary. He is a safety/slot cornerback hybrid who will be a Swiss army knife for defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
Since he'll be playing some slot corner, that will open up plenty of snaps for Jaden Hicks as a third safety. Although his spot on the team isn't as certain as Conner's, it's hard to imagine the Chiefs letting him go right off the bat of his career or risk him being poached off the practice squad.
Deon Bush is a solid player who is likely heading for another practice squad stint. The Chiefs can confidently elevate him to the main roster and trust him to perform well to fill in when needed. The final safety on the roster is Trey Dean, a second-year player who spent 2023 on the New York Jets' practice squad. He'll have to have a convincingly stronger camp and preseason than Bush to make the practice squad.
What the future may hold for the Chiefs at safety
The 2024 season is going to be a crucial one for the top four Chiefs safeties. Reid is entering a contract year, meaning he'll be looking to secure another long-term contract after the season. The Chiefs under GM Brett Veach haven't typically given out second contracts to players, especially not to defensive backs (see Tyrann Mathieu, Charvarius Ward and L'Jarius Sneed).
Whether or not K.C. decides to retain Reid will depend a lot on the performances of Cook and Hicks. If Cook can pick up where he left off last year, which was on the path to becoming one of the better safeties in the league, letting Reid go will be an easier decision. As it will be if Hicks also plays well. Hicks is a similar player to Reid, making it an easy potential transition.
When Cook went down last season, Conner made an immediate impact in the secondary and looked like a seasoned veteran. Having a good slot corner is as valuable as having a good boundary corner in today's game, and Conner's ability to also contribute as a safety is icing on the cake.
Related: Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp Preview: Linebackers bring experience and athletic upside to the defense
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