Jaden Hicks Forces Chiefs to Promote Undrafted Rookie AFC Defensive Player of the Week Due to His Own Decline

Hicks’ drop in usage has been startling. After logging 64% of defensive snaps in last year’s postseason — even with Reid still on the roster — his snap counts have plummeted. He played just four snaps against the Bills in Week 9 and only 13 the following week versus Washington. These are not rotational numbers for a projected starter. They are the metrics of a player who has lost the trust of the coaching staff. Communication miscues, inconsistent tackling, and hesitation in deep coverage have all contributed to his diminished role.
“I’m not running from what’s happened. I owe it to the Chiefs to be better. I owe it to myself. This team believed in me from Day 1, and I’m not letting one rough stretch define who I am or what I can become here.”

Kansas City hoped that Hicks would become their next back-end enforcer, a continuation of the lineage that began with Tyrann Mathieu and transitioned to Reid. But defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has shifted to a matchup-based deployment for Hicks, limiting him primarily to specific sub-packages rather than relying on him as a full-time presence. Those inside the organization view this change not as a temporary adjustment, but as a recalibration of expectations.

The beneficiary of Hicks’ struggles has been Christian Roland-Wallace, a rookie who entered camp as a long shot to make the active roster. Originally valued for his special-teams ability, Roland-Wallace has played himself into the defensive rotation through strong fundamentals and timely plays. Against Denver, he delivered two key stops and showed the poise the Chiefs have been missing in the secondary. Coaches have praised his discipline, effort, and ability to stay assignment-sound — qualities Kansas City desperately needs amid coverage breakdowns.

This situation comes at an inconvenient time for the Chiefs. Bryan Cook is in a contract year and may be priced out of Kansas City in 2026. Reid was allowed to leave last offseason. With major cap hits looming, including Chris Jones’ massive number, Kansas City hoped Hicks would solidify the position without requiring another significant investment. Instead, the team now faces broader roster questions heading into the stretch run and potentially into next offseason.

For now, Roland-Wallace’s rise and Hicks’ decline present a reality the Chiefs must confront: the depth chart at safety is shifting, and not in the way the organization expected. There is still time for Hicks to rebound, but Kansas City can’t afford inconsistency as the playoff race tightens. Production has become the deciding factor — and at this moment, the undrafted rookie is delivering more of it than the player he was drafted to replace.