The Kansas City Chiefs have brought back a familiar face on the defensive side of the ball, and the domino effect of the deal paints a picture of KC’s plans for the back of their defense.
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The Chiefs have reportedly brought back safety Deon Bush on a one-year deal, according to Adam Schefter.
Bush played just three snaps in the Chiefs’ win over the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game, but one of those three snaps ended with him reeling in an interception off Lamar Jackson in the end zone. Bush also played one defensive snap and 28 special teams snaps in the Super Bowl, tying linebacker Jack Cochrane for the most snaps on special teams.
This move doesn’t change much for the Chiefs’ offseason plans, as Bush played just eight defensive snaps during the regular season until he played 66 in the Chiefs’ Week 18 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers when many starters sat. He also recorded double-digit special teams snaps in every game he was active, including 20+ every game in games 13-17, proving to be a trusted player for special teams coordinator Dave Toub.
Bush was a member of the Chiefs’ practice squad through most of the year until safety Bryan Cook was injured and placed on the injured reserve list in December. Bush was signed to the active roster on Dec. 16.
Bush being signed to the active roster (where he spent the 2022 season, appearing in 16 games) is a bit of a surprise since he fell a spot down the depth chart in ’23. However, it makes more sense in the context of the 2024 roster.
In 2023, Mike Edwards (on a one-year deal) was the Chiefs’ third safety behind Justin Reid and Cook. When Cook was injured, Edwards stepped up and rookie defensive back Chamarri Conner got more opportunities to shine. Conner stood out toward the end of his rookie season, and with Reid and Cook set to be KC’s clear starters in the back end, Conner now slots in as KC’s often-used third safety in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense. Bush now provides a veteran presence as an option at the fourth safety spot. Still, the Chiefs will likely draft or sign multiple rookie defensive backs just over a month from now, meaning Bush may still have to hold off rookie competition to keep his spot on the active roster.
This does appear to foretell the departure of Edwards, who should have a reasonable market after playing well in his role with the Chiefs en route to his second Super Bowl win.