Grading Kohou’s Addition to Chiefs’ Defense

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Sometimes, signings four days into free agency prove more valuable than those made in the first hour.

And here’s a bold prediction six months before the Chiefs kick off the 2026 season: After joining the Chiefs on Thursday, Kader Kohou will be that player for Kansas City.

He won’t have as many touchdowns as Kenneth Walker, but Kohou (pronounced KOH-hoo) quenches the Chiefs’ thirst for a need just as much as the Super Bowl MVP. In Kohou’s case, it’s their need at slot cornerback.

Kansas City has agreed to terms with Kohou on a free-agent contract, insider Jordan Schultz reported Thursday afternoon. It’s a calculated risk, for sure, because Kohou missed all of last season with a partially torn ACL, an injury he sustained early in training camp.

The grade: A-minus

Obviously, the Chiefs will want to give Kohou a firm medical evaluation, if they haven’t already. After the Maxx Crosby trade fell through Tuesday, everyone knows the importance of any agreement being dependent on a physical. But assuming Kohou is nearing the end of his rehabilitation now that he’s seven-plus months post-surgery, his addition grades out as nothing short of an A-minus. Here’s why.

Slot mentality

The player Kohou figures to replace in the Chiefs’ slot, All-Pro Trent McDuffie, said the position isn’t for anyone – especially the way Steve Spagnuolo uses it. Going inside requires a different mentality, a more physical nature, and quicker instincts. Kohou has those intangibles.

An undrafted free agent who joined the Dolphins soon after Kansas City drafted Jaylen Watson late in the 2022 draft, Kohou fits perfectly into the Chiefs’ defensive culture. He’s not only physical and versatile, but humble, too. Dave Merritt will enjoy coaching him, and Merritt has a history of bringing out the best in cornerbacks overlooked in prior drafts – such as Watson.

Versatility and experience

Kohou has versatility to match up anywhere along the line, wherever Spagnuolo sees him as a better defender depending on the gameplan, but his experience is invaluable. That’s important for a room that just lost both starting cornerbacks – McDuffie and Watson – within the last week.

The Chiefs are suddenly no longer as vulnerable in their secondary, after adding both Kohou and safety Alohi Gilman as free agents.

But Kohou’s experience in the slot is what will make him most valuable. In 2024, when the Dolphins ranked seventh against the pass, 453 of his 708 defensive snaps (64.0 percent) were in the slot. The year prior, 647 of his 1,028 snaps were from the slot (63.0 percent), helping Miami rank ninth with 81 team passes defensed.

Kohou, who has three interceptions, 28 passes defensed, 148 tackles, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries over three seasons (2022-24), all with the Dolphins. He also owns one career sack, Justin Herbert in 2023. And while he never played Patrick Mahomes in high school, he grew up less than two hours south of him in East Texas.