Going into the 2019 season, there wasn’t much buzz regarding the linebacker position. First off, the Chiefs haven’t really had a stud linebacker since Derrick Johnson. Adding to that, 2019 offseason’s major defensive overhaul didn’t see the Chiefs make any splashy signings at linebacker. They added a couple of rotational pieces in Darron Lee and Damien Wilson, but the core unit, which featured Anthony Hitchens and Reggie Ragland as mainstay starters, returned.
The key difference, instead of any flashy personnel changes, was that Steve Spagnuolo would be adjusting the defensive scheme from a 3-4 to a 4-3 base.