Leo Chenal preseason review; Situational promise, with work to be done

Looking at every snap of the rookie LB to see where he stood out, how the Chiefs used him, and where he needs to develop to get on the field more.

With football right around the corner for the Chiefs, it’s hard to find a player with a larger divide between fan opinion and team usage than Leo Chenal.

Most Chiefs fans absolutely love the guy, and it’s easy to see why given his wildly physical style of play and his complete embracing of the “enforcer” role on defense. He hits like freight train, whether he’s taking on offensive linemen or blitzing against some poor running back who didn’t sign up for this.

NFL fans love violence and physicality in their linebackers, and Chenal himself has said those are his specialty. He also measured as a higher-level athlete than the vast majority of “enforcer” style players. So it’s no surprise, especially considering the quality of his college film, that the expectations from the fans are high when it comes to Chenal’s transition to the NFL. I’ve had more requests for his film to be reviewed than any other rookie, and that includes first-rounders Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis.

Those expectations are going to be pretty much impossible to fill. From people asking if he could play the Micah Parsons edge rusher role to if he could grab a full-time role sooner rather than later, the things people are expecting from Chenal just aren’t the sort of things one sees from 3rd round rookie linebackers outside of unusual circumstances. And that’s where a bit of a disconnect comes into play, because Chenal’s role in the preseason has been somewhat limited. He’s played the SAM role, grabbing some snaps with the starters (including in the final preseason game, a good sign), then has been relegated to the third team for his other snaps. Even in that limited time, though, he’s made an impression with his style of play and ability against the run.

So who is Chenal? Is he an enforcer who will grab snaps right away or a work in progress? Now that preseason is in the books, it makes sense to take a look at every snap in each game to get an idea as to where Chenal wins, where he could stand to improve, and where it appears the Chiefs are at on him. Let’s talk some physicality and violence.