Getty Kansas City Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill on October 10, 2021.
Kansas City Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill made headlines during minicamp when he proclaimed to reporters that he is going to have an All-Pro season in 2022.
The honest truth is, he better. Thornhill was a second-round pick in 2019 and after an injury derailed a promising rookie campaign, consistency has been missing from his game.
KC and Thornhill have blamed this on lingering injuries but the organization has also planned for a scenario where they’re wrong about the Virginia product. By signing Justin Reid and drafting Bryan Cook this spring, as well as adding capable backup Deon Bush, general manager Brett Veach signaled to Thornhill that he’s going to have to earn it.
If not, he could be shipped out before cuts to clear room on a crowded roster. At least, that was one NFL analyst’s theory.
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Camp Battle to Watch at Safety
During an article on Bleacher Report, writer Kristopher Knox explained why Thornhill is the Chiefs’ “most logical and valuable trade candidate” — while remaining in win-now mode. He reasoned:
Thornhill is in the final year of his rookie contract, and Kansas City just used a second-round pick on former Cincinnati linebacker Bryan Cook. The Chiefs also added Justin Reid to replace Tyrann Mathieu, and there likely isn’t enough playing time for all three.
Given Thornhill’s struggles in coverage—he allowed an opposing passer rating of 102.8 in 2020 and 108.6 in 2021, according to Pro Football Reference—the Chiefs could look to make the switch to Cook a year early if a Thornhill trade comes to the proverbial table.
According to members of the KC beat, Cook’s emergence has already begun. The Athletic’s Nate Taylor and Arrowhead Pride’s Pete Sweeney agreed that the rookie safety was the “player of the day” at practice on June 15 (Day 2 of minicamp).
To be fair, Thornhill had a nice spring as well and ESPN’s Adam Teicher even named him the Chiefs’ “surprise offseason standout” of Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and minicamp — but part of his reasoning was the safety’s All-Pro confidence off the field.
Either way, this should be an exciting battle to monitor all summer. Reid was paid to start but the other first-team role could be up for grabs.
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Potential Return for Thornhill
In case you were wondering what the Chiefs might get back for a hot-and-cold second-round selection, Knox offered some insight.
“The Chiefs could get value in a Thornhill trade,” he stated, “especially if an injury leaves a playoff-caliber team lacking at the position. While the Virginia product has been up and down with the Chiefs, he’s still a starting-caliber safety likely to command, at least, a middle-round pick in a deal.”
That “middle-round” tag usually represents a third or fourth-rounder, but a conditional pick would probably make the most sense from an outside perspective. That could hinge on games played, considering Thornhill’s injury history.
If he is indeed traded, it would free up room for a younger defensive back to make the Week 1 roster, like rookie Nazeeh Johnson or Nasir Greer. Of course, the coaching staff could also settle on capping the roster at three safeties — Reid, Cook and Bush.
Knox concluded: “It’s not a move the Chiefs should consider lightly, but if Thornhill may be replaced in the not-too-distant future, he represents arguably the most logical and valuable trade candidate on the Kansas City roster.”