Deuce-Deuce Talks Contract Extension, 1st Impressions of Rookie Williams

Class of 2022 cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and Derek Stingley have new contracts, but Trent McDuffie isn’t holding out or holding in. He is, however, holding onto confidence that his extension will happen when the time is right.

“Personally, for me, when it comes to contract stuff, my relationship with my agent is I feel like the biggest that I've ever had,” McDuffie said after practice Monday morning, referring to Patrick Collins of CAA Sports. “I respect him a lot, I trust a lot of what he does and, with that, I've allowed for him to really focus on contract stuff.

“For me, I really just want to focus on ball, especially moving forward. These three weeks of camp to the start of the season, it's all about the guys here and how I can make them better. I love being a Chief, and I know the contract stuff will come.”

Rookie Nohl Williams

One of the guys he can make better is rookie Nohl Williams. Kansas City traded up 10 spots in the third round to land the Cal cornerback at 85th overall (the Chiefs gave their No. 95 selection to New England, as well as a 2026 fourth-rounder). Ironically, that future fourth-round pick came from Chicago after the Chiefs dealt All-Pro guard and former New England Super Bowl champion Joe Thuney in March.

While Williams led the nation last year with seven interceptions as a first-team All-American, McDuffie said the 6-1, 200-pound rookie is working to become more consistent.

“He’s getting good,” McDuffie said. “He's long, and he's one of those guys that just competes. He's a smart guy, he knows the defense really well, and we got to clean up a few things in his technique, a few grab-ins here and there. But once we iron those things out, he's gonna have a really good career.”

Veteran Kristian Fulton

Williams is getting a lot of reps early in camp, with free agent Kristian Fulton on the PUP list after a knee-cleanup procedure this spring. But McDuffie also has had a lot of opportunities to use that new relationship to make Fulton better, and vice versa. McDuffie said Fulton’s experience in the Chargers’ scheme provided useful knowledge from a veteran NFL cornerback. In turn, McDuffie has helped Fulton better learn the Chiefs’ coaches and defensive scheme.

“I know he's played a lot of off-man, so it's been a few years since he's really gone up there and pressed for 80-plus plays in a game,” McDuffie explained. “And just understanding that, when you come into this defense, you got to be physical. You got to set the edge, you got to do the little things that maybe back at your old team you didn't have to do.”

McDuffie added that, while working toward returning to practice, Fulton has been locked in off the field, noticeably attentive and ready to jump back in once he passes his physical.

And through it all, McDuffie said he’s ready to take the baton as the leader of the Chiefs’ secondary after Justin Reid signed with New Orleans in free agency.

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