This veteran Chiefs DB is primed for an excellent 2026 season

The Kansas City Chiefs have completely rebuilt their defensive backfield during the 2026 offseason, and while the team will undoubtedly rely on rookie draft picks Mansoor Delane and Jadon Canady for some extra athleticism in Steve Spagnuolo's secondary, it is far more likely to be the contributions of veteran safety Alohi Gilman that make or break the team's new defense later this year.

Kansas City's coaching staff is usually hesitant to throw young players into starting roles early in their careers, and is instead more keen to lean on the experience of free agent acquisitions like Gilman when constructing their starting 11, on both sides of the ball.

For his part, Gilman told reporters this week that he is adjusting well to Spagnuolo's system and that his first days as a Chiefs have been productive.

“It’s been great," Gilman said of his early tenure in Kansas City. "This is probably the best group of – in terms of staff, teachers that I’ve been around, because that’s what they are, they’re teachers and they’re builders. I’ve been able to dive into it and get just enough where it’s frustrating (laughs) because it’s a lot, but enough that it allows me to grow and to learn and get better and dive into the playbook more and more and in depth. I’m in a situation where I’m the older guy but the guys that’ve been around in the league – I know it’s a young team, at least within my DB room."

Of his less experienced teammates in the Chiefs' upstart secondary, Gilman had nothing but nice things to say.

"They’re all smart," the veteran safety explained, "they all know what they’re doing, they’ve been in the system for some time, so I’m learning from them and I’m not afraid of that, of saying, ‘Hey, I need help.’ I’ve pulled them on the side, ‘Hey, let’s watch some film, let’s go do a little walkthrough right here.’ It’s a collaboration. I’m in the learning phase. It’s not about coming in here and taking over, there’s none of that. I’m learning (and) I want to be a part of this. That’s all that it has been for me, and the guys have been great. They’ve just been open armed and say, ‘Hey, what can I do to help?’ And everyone’s been workers, so it’s been really fun.”

Time will tell if Gilman will become an integral part of Kansas City's defense, but if early indications are a sign of what is to come, the former Los Angeles Charger should have no problem finding his niche in 2026.

This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs offseason: Veteran DB Alohi Gilman on adjustment to new defense