Grading the signing: Commanders land young, ascending LB Leo Chenal to thrive in Daronte Jones’ defense
The Commanders get much younger in the LB room by adding Leo Chenal, who could be the future of the defense under Daronte Jones.
The Washington Commanders wanted to get younger and faster in free agency, and that’s exactly what they did with their latest signing.
General manager Adam Peters has made four signings, and all four have been on the defensive side of the ball. The latest is a young ascending LB in Leo Chenal, who will thrive with his versatility in Washington.
They missed on a lot of big-name free agents at LB, but is the Chenal signing just as impactful?
The Commanders finally land an answer for the LB room
After a quiet first two days in free agency, we finally have our first signing from Peters. The Commanders and Chenal have agreed to a three-year, $24.75 million deal to come to Washington and fix the defense.
A to Z Sports Kansas City beat writer Charles Goldman says that Chenal was a key part of the Chiefs’ defense, and still has his best ahead of him.
“Chenal was a third-round pick by the Chiefs in 2022 out of the University of Wisconsin. Chenal has played the role of a physical downhill SAM linebacker in Steve Spagnuolo’s 4-3 scheme, becoming an integral part of Kansas City’s base and heavy personnel packages, bringing aggressive run defense and blitzing ability while rounding out his coverage skills. Over four seasons with the Chiefs, Chenal became a two-time Super Bowl champion, recording 218 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss, seven sacks, three forced fumbles, six passes defended, and one interception across 65 regular-season games and 44 starts. He feels like a player with some untapped potential as a full-time pass-rusher in a 3-4 scheme.” – Charles Goldman, A to Z Sports Kansas City
Grading the Leo Chenal signing
Chenal is just 25 years old, which is a drastic difference from veteran Bobby Wagner. The LB room was a liability last season, and now it looks like a strength with Frankie Luvu returning to his former self and adding Chenal to the mix. Chenal is an elite run-stopper and a sure tackler with just four missed tackles on the season, which is the second-fewest in the NFL.
He’s an elite athlete who had a 9.99 Relative Athletic Score, and it helps him thrive in coverage and become an effective pass rusher as well. At 6-3, 250 pounds, Chenal can fly and cover a lot of ground, which is what Jones wants in his defense. The Commanders got a younger ascending player who is hitting his prime with a larger role coming his way, and also an overall top LB in the NFL at a good price.
GRADE: A
Washington Commanders News
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