Chiefs Must Pivot to These 2 Free Agents After Missing Top CBs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Like a tsunami on the Missouri River, the first wave of free agency wasn’t a monumental event. Donna Kelce’s home renovation claimed more market share on the Internet since Monday.

But the second wave is where the real works gets done. And the Chiefs still have work to do. They also have at least $10 million in room under the salary cap. Per Over the Cap, the Chiefs also have just $9.8 million in dead money, fifth-best in the NFL as of Thursday.

delan — Nov 29, 2025; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Louisiana State Tigers linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. (7) and Louisiana State Tigers cornerback Mansoor Delane (4) defend a pass intended for Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Deion Burks (4) during the game at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Alontae Taylor, Riq Woolen, Greg Newsome, Nahshon Wright, Jamel Dean and Josh Jobe have all selected other teams this week. Even the Chiefs’ own seventh-round draft pick, Jaylen Watson, got $51 million over three years to set the market Monday by signing with the Rams.

Time to pivot for the Chiefs, and there’s still a lot of fish in the river. Before they dust off their draft magnets for Jermod McCoy, Avieon Terrell and Mansoor Delane – and expect the Chiefs to take multiple cornerbacks next month – they need at least one veteran cornerback this month.

watso — Nov 27, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (3) catches a pass for a successful two-point conversion against Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson (35) during the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Kader Kohou

Kohou missed the 2025 season after partially tearing his ACL early in training camp, but his first three NFL seasons were solid. An undrafted free agent signed by the Dolphins soon after the Chiefs took Watson late in the 2022 draft, Kohou fits perfectly into the Steve Spagnuolo-Dave Merritt culture of defensive backs.

Humble, physical and versatile best describe Kohou. He has 28 passes defensed, three interceptions, 148 tackles, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries over three seasons. He also sacked Justin Herbert in 2023.

Most importantly, he plays in the slot. That’s the biggest area of vulnerability after the Chiefs traded Trent McDuffie to the Rams last week. Kohou has plenty of experience in that niche. 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.

He also grew up less than two hours south of Patrick Mahomes in East Texas.

Cobie Durant

Late last season, Travis Kelce said that when he retires, there won’t be a retirement tour similar to Kobe Bryant in 2016. But the tight end also said he’s a big fan of Kobe.

He’d be a big fan of Cobie Durant, too. That’s because Durant already has six postseason games – including an NFL-leading three interceptions during the 2025 postseason. Big-game players love other players with big-game experience.

Kelce also would love Durant’s 11 career interceptions, including postseason. That’s tied for 11th in the league since Durant entered the league as the Rams’ fourth-round selection in the 2022 draft (seven picks after the Chiefs took Joshua Williams). The Chiefs had just 10 interceptions in 2025 (tied for 16th in the league). That was Kansas City’s second-worst mark since Spagnuolo became defensive coordinator in 2019 (the Chiefs had eight in 2023).

And like Kohou, Durant has a lot of experience in the slot (although the Rams have struggled against the pass the last few years). In 2023, 647 of 1,028 defensive snaps were in the slot. In 2024, 132 of his 842 defensive snaps were in that role. Last season, however, he played just 34 of 909 snaps from that position.