KC Chiefs coach Dave Toub’s comments on first-round CB Mansoor Delane after OTAs aren’t the red flag you think they are
Dave Toub has Chiefs Kingdom in an uproar after telling reporters that Kansas City Chiefs first-round CB Mansoor Delane is getting work on special teams. Here’s why that’s happening and why it isn’t a big deal as things currently stand.
Kansas City Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub has a host of new players to work with during the 2026 offseason. Those players range from free agent signings to draft picks to undrafted free agents.
When Toub was asked about the No. 109 overall pick, Jadon Canady, and how he’s done on special teams so far, nobody batted an eye. He’s a fourth-round draft pick and very much expected to be a contributor on special teams. It was what Toub tagged on after he spoke about Canady that caused an uproar.
“He’s a guy – he’s definitely one,” Toub said of Canady. “(Mansoor) Delane’s been working great in there, too. He’s got good experience as a special teams guy as well.”
Pause…
The Chiefs are practicing Mansoor Delane – the No. 6 overall pick out of LSU – on special teams during OTAs? When fans learned this information via my X account, pitchforks came out in Chiefs Kingdom.
People were calling for Toub’s job, saying it was more evidence of Andy Reid’s decline, and generally spouting hatred toward the idea. The reality is that this is the furthest thing from a big deal for Kansas City. If anything, it might be a rite of passage for first-round draft picks.
Chiefs CB Mansoor Delane’s College Special Teams Background
Delane played college football at Virginia Tech & LSU.
- Total special teams snaps: 223
- Special teams units: Kick coverage, punt coverage, punt return, and FG/XP block
Why Mansoor Delane getting work on special teams in May and June isn’t a big deal
It might seem like Dave Toub is putting the No. 6 overall pick in harm’s way, but that’s simply not the case. My friend Cole DeRuse (How ‘Bout Those Chiefs) had the perfect explanation, which I will expand on.
If Delane plays any special teams snaps this year, it’ll likely be an indication that something has gone horribly wrong during a game with injuries. You’re only allowed so many active players on gameday, 47 or 48 per NFL rules. If injuries mount up at specific positions, you’ve got to have contingencies. Delane is going to be a contingency plan at plenty of positions.
If you look back on several recent first-round draft picks for the Chiefs, especially those at cornerback and wide receiver, they’ve all worked on special teams during the offseason. Xavier Worthy and Trent McDuffie both worked on return units, which also drew the ire of Chiefs fans. Yet, if you look at their career special-teams usage, Worthy has played 8 special-teams snaps. McDuffie has played 52.
Another reason getting special teams snaps in May and June isn’t a big deal is how special teams is practiced. You’re talking about glorified cardio workouts in shorts and helmets. Even when the pads come on, they don’t do the real-live contact stuff until they face another team during the preseason. The risk of injury is just as much as if he were replacing those repetitions with 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 drills.
Finally, this is what Delane and Toub would tell you about the subject. Delane is a football player. He wants to play football and contribute to this team’s ability to win games in any way that he can because that’s his job. Let’s say he excels at FG/XP block like Justin Reid once did for Kansas City? There’s no reason he couldn’t be a starter on defense and be the team’s top edge on the block unit. He’s certainly not going to be complaining about getting this extra work in, especially if they end up needing him during the season.