Young secondary highlights early days of Chiefs training camp

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The second day of full team workouts gave a look at what Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has been cooking up in the offseason.

Following a disappointing season in 2025, the Chiefs will be looking to rebound and make a return to the playoffs and beyond. While the offense and Patrick Mahomes will always be a force, the defense needs to be just as stout to match that production on the other side of the ball.

Heading into the new year, the team's secondary has been reloaded with many new, young faces looking to make an impression in Kansas City.

"With all these rookies it's it's a process," said coach Spagnuolo. "Then the vets came in for some OTAs. But you know it's pajama football, and now we're about to get in the training camp where it gets real."

You can watch the full press conference with Spagnuolo in the video player below.

With so much inexperience across that side of the ball, coach Spagnuolo has been emphasizing how to handle the work requirement by not pulling any punches for the first timers.

"We put a lot of volume in The Rookie those three days on purpose so that when they got it a second time here with the vets, you know with sink a little bit, and I think its happening."

As the team ramps up summer workouts, the defensive leaders are rising up to take charge of the unit both on and off the field. One of those is newly acquired safety Alohi Gilman, who has quickly taken many of these young defensive backs under his wing.

"This group is a little bit more quiet I'd say than other DB personalities that I've been around. So it's been a little bit harder to get the shell out of them a little more," said Gilman. "So I would take them out to dinner every week during OTAs, we'll go hang out, just little stuff like that. They're a great group. They've, welcomed me with open arms and just hard workers. Just straight to the point. Kind of no nonsense."

Gilman is heading into year seven in the league. After spending time in Los Angeles and Baltimore, he comes to Kansas City ready to step into that no nonsense culture and help the team return to its winning ways.

"They want certain types of guys here and the trajectory of where they want them to be, has been phenomenal here," said Gilman. "I just think they bring like minded people here and that's kind of how they've have done it here, and I respect it, and obviously they've had a lot of success."

"I've seen a change from the OTA practices to now," said coach Spagnuolo on Gilman. "Nohl Williams made a really big play, and I saw Gil go right over, congratulate him. I mean, just something that little showed me what he's all about. He's a cerebral player. I mean, that's what we thought when we got him here. And hopefully he'll be that, you know, going forward."

Another safety looking to break out for the Chiefs is third-year player Jaden Hicks. He was drafted by the team in 2024, and is beginning his latest round of training camp trying to mentor many of the younger players.

"We got a bunch of new guys in the room, so it's fun helping everybody around," said Hicks. "There's going to be tough days out there and tough days ahead. So, you know, just take it as a learning lesson and keep going forward. We're all here to help so we're all on the same page."

You can watch the full press conference with Hicks in the video player below.