ESPN Analyst's 2023 NFL Season All-Pro Team Names Only Three KC Chiefs

Multiple members of the Chiefs are being recognized for their play this season, but it isn’t the usual cast of contributors.

As the Kansas City Chiefs attempt to remain Super Bowl contenders, they’re getting contributions from proven veterans and newcomers alike. Some things are unchanged on the star front, as the core of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Chris Jones remains intact.

Three players are getting some All-Pro buzz this week, although only one member of the aforementioned group is among them.

Bill Barnwell of ESPN published his list of first- and second-team All-Pro selections in an article this week. For Kansas City, the trio of Jones, left guard Joe Thuney and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed all made Barnwell’s top list. No one else qualified — not Mahomes, Kelce, Trent McDuffie or Harrison Butker. Citing a mix of his thoughts and some advanced stats from ESPN, Barnwell dove into his reasoning for each pick.

Let’s take a look at some of what Barnwell had to say, as well as provide some further context for each player who made the first-team list.

Joe Thuney garners praise for 2023 campaign

Barnwell’s take: This is ESPN’s seventh season of pass block and run block win rate analysis. Over that span, no guard has posted a higher pass block win rate in a single season than Thuney, whose 99.3% mark beats out the previous record of 98.9%. Of course, the previous record holder won’t be too upset: It was Thuney, who hit that mark for the Chiefs last season. He went 426-3 on pass-block duels this season, per ESPN’s model.

Analysis: The strength of the Chiefs’ offensive line remains its interior, led by Thuney, center Creed Humphrey and right guard Trey Smith. Although the line hasn’t been as good as in recent seasons, it’s still a solid group. Thuney is perhaps the best player on the front five, but Barnwell’s pick may be heavily influenced by ESPN‘s tracking data. For example, Pro Football Focus credits Thuney with 31 pressures allowed in 2023. That’s his highest total since 2017 as a member of the New England Patriots. He’s one of the best left guards in the game, so this isn’t inherently a bad pick.

Chris Jones: still an elite defensive tackle?

Barnwell’s take: While Jones sat out the season opener in a contract dispute, he has been essential ever since for the Chiefs. This isn’t his most productive season by sacks or quarterback knockdowns, but he has been particularly impressive in other categories ESPN tracks. Jones ranks fifth in pass block win rate on the interior despite being double-teamed on nearly 73% of his interior rushes, which is the highest rate for any defensive tackle.

Analysis: Jones’s 9.5 sacks through the Chiefs’ first 17 games is a total lower than many expected. With that said, he did miss the aforementioned Week 1 game against the Detroit Lions. Additionally, Barnwell says ESPN‘s “sacks created” metric credits Jones with 18.5 — the highest mark in football. Jones isn’t the same player he was in 2022, but he’s still one of the premier interior defensive linemen in the NFL. There’s some competition, but no bones to pick here.

L’Jarius Sneed’s breakout earns him some major respect

Barnwell’s take: While Sneed hasn’t made as many plays on the football as he has in previous seasons, emerging as a top-flight cover corner has been a remarkable developmental effort for Spagnuolo. And with the Chiefs blitzing at the fourth-highest rate in football, they’ve needed Sneed to win on an island on a regular basis. He has allowed a 53.1 passer rating as the nearest defender in coverage this season, according to NFL Next Gen Stats, a remarkable figure given the quality of opposition he has faced. While he has committed a league-high eight pass interference penalties this season, the pros with his performances far outweigh the cons.

Analysis: Sneed is having a career-best season, which comes just in time for him to potentially hit the open market in the spring. His most recent performance against the Cincinnati Bengals highlighted everything he stands for as a player: being competitive, fighting through discomfort and shutting down an opposing top wideout. There haven’t been many better cornerbacks than Sneed this season, so this is a tremendous pick by Barnwell.