KC Chiefs’ Cornerback Room Is One of the NFL's Best Luxuries
Last season, the Kansas City Chiefs put a lot of eggs in the basket of being able to develop a young and inexperienced cornerback room alongside L'Jarius Sneed. Sneed lived up to his end of the bargain in 2022, and so did the then-rookies. As Sneed runs out the remainder of his rookie contract and the sophomore corners continue to grow, Steve Spagnuolo's secondary has emerged as one of the most productive groups in all of football.
Ten weeks into the 2023 campaign, Kansas City ranks third in dropback EPA allowed and second in dropback success rate. Additionally, the cornerback room has helped hold opponents to the third-lowest average yardage per pass attempt and the sixth-fewest number of passing first downs per game. There isn't much to nitpick at cornerback as the Chiefs come out of their bye week, although there's still plenty to talk about.
Joshua Brisco and Jordan Foote start an Arrowhead Report discussion to assess where Kansas City is at with the position as the season passes its midpoint.
Biggest success
Brisco: Trent McDuffie's ascent has continued as he jockeys for a spot in the conversation to be regarded as one of the best cornerbacks in football. Halfway through his second season, he'll have to continue his excellence at arguably the most volatile position in the sport, but there's no reason to bet on his regression. From his highlight-reel moments like his strip of Tyreek Hill to his Pro Football Focus grades to his consistent (and versatile!) play on tape, there are simply no holes to poke in McDuffie's game so far. He lacks the prototypical size that would have made him a top-10 draft pick, but you'd never know he was expected to be physically tested at the NFL level. He's been fantastic, and he's just 23 years old.
Foote: You hit the nail on the head with your McDuffie analysis, as well as mentioning his PFF data. The outlet has credited him with 20 'stops' through nine games, which trails only Drue Tranquill on the Chiefs' defense. It's also fourth in the league among all cornerbacks. Entering Week 11, he's tied for the league lead with four forced fumbles. There aren't enough positive things to say about McDuffie. He was a star as a rookie and even without some of the same hype as other top-flight corners, he's bordering on superstar status as a sophomore.
Biggest shortcoming
Brisco: This has been a tough category to write about for most of the Chiefs' defense, but I'm really grasping for straws now. The Chiefs entered training camp with a bit of an unknown at their third cornerback spot, with second-year CBs Joshua Williams (a fourth-round pick) and Jaylen Watson (a seventh-round pick) battling for reps. The "shortcoming" is that they still may not have a definite favorite. (Again, yes, this is a stretch.) Watson didn't play any defensive snaps in Week 1 and he was inactive in Week 4 due to a shoulder strain, but the duo have split duties in various ratios outside of those two games. Watson has gone on to play more in the last four weeks, taking 121 defensive snaps compared to Williams's 33. Much of that could be matchup dependent and, truthfully, I could just as clearly make this "shortcoming" into a positive: the Chiefs have four cornerbacks they trust to play meaningful snaps, even though No. 3 and No. 4 may alternate in the standings. The real biggest shortcoming is my inability to find a shortcoming.
Foote: Taking that sentiment of not seeing enough of certain players consistently to another level here... Nazeeh Johnson and Chamarri Conner? During the offseason, many viewed both players as strictly safeties until they started getting more and more consideration as versatile chess pieces instead. Johnson tore his ACL before the season even started. Conner, a fourth-round rookie listed as a defensive back, flashed on numerous occasions in preseason play but just hasn't overcome the natural numbers game at cornerback in the regular season. Again, grasping for straws like you are, but Kansas City hasn't gotten enough of an evaluation period for either player in 2023. Having so much depth anyway is a fortunate spot to be in.
Biggest question(s) remaining this season
Brisco: What's next for L'Jarius Sneed? I don't have any particular doubts about how this unit will perform the rest of this season, so I'm looking ahead to a tough decision the Chiefs will have to make this offseason. Sneed is an important and excellent part of Spagnuolo's defense, and the coaching staff has maximized Sneed's skills as he's continued to improve each year. This season, he's followed No. 1 WRs in important matchups, which could help him make even more money in free agency this offseason. But will the Chiefs be the team to deliver that payday?
Foote: I suppose I'll backtrack to the Watson-Williams dynamic. It's something that's flip-flopped and dated to their rookie seasons, with no finalized solution being found through nine weeks. My read on the situation is that Watson may have the inside track to securing and keeping his lead in playing time moving forward, especially considering the nature of where this season is at timing-wise. Spagnuolo is known for his willingness to fine-tune rotations as the postseason approaches, though, so I'm very closely watching to see which of the "W" cornerbacks separates from the pack.
