This rookie LB was Chiefs' leading tackler vs. Cardinals in Week 1 of the NFL preseason

The Kansas City Chiefs have a deep linebacking corps and will have some difficult decisions to make at the position when they cut their roster down to 53 players later this month.

While Kansas City fell to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1 of the NFL preseason, the Chiefs’ defense managed to put together an impressive performance, led by rookie linebacker Jeffrey Bassa, who led the team in tackles.

Bassa, who joined Kansas City as a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft, played with the University of Oregon Ducks as a collegian and wasted no time making his presence felt in his professional debut.

When the final whistle blew on Saturday night, Bassa had been credited with six combined tackles (three solo) and a quarterback hit.

As a rookie, Bassa isn’t likely to push veterans Nick Bolton, Drue Tranquill, and Leo Chenal for playing time in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.

However, if Bassa can build on the performance he put together against Arizona, he may be able to force himself onto the field as a rotational contributor to Kansas City’s front-seven.

This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Rookie LB was Chiefs’ top tackler against Cardinals in preseason debut

Source: Sports Yahoo