What's Kristian Fulton's True Role for the Chiefs in 2026?

Just like before free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft, many folks in Kansas City Chiefs circles use the offseason to speculate. That's especially true now that things are slowing down again, leading to countless predictions about the upcoming campaign.

In some ways, however, the 2026-27 season will be here before anyone knows it. Rookie minicamp is in the books, and organized team activities (OTAs) aren't far behind. The former may have allowed a player or two to flash, and the latter could tell us something about quarterback Patrick Mahomes' status.

There's a veteran defensive piece who's going relatively unnoticed, too. Kent Swanson, Matt Lane and Craig Stout discussed all of that and more on the latest episode of the KC Laboratory podcast on KC Sports Network.

Chiefs got a first look at their 2026 NFL Draft class in rookie minicamp

Last weekend saw the Chiefs conduct their rookie minicamp, with 104 players coming to the first day of activities on May 1. While this was a chance for undrafted free agents and local tryouts to make an impact, it also gave the organization a quick look at its NFL Draft haul.

Lane's standout may have been first-round defensive tackle Peter Woods, whose athleticism and fluidity are rare for a player of his size. The group also raved about No. 6 overall pick Mansoor Delane, who could start right out of the gate at cornerback.

Fifth-round receiver Cyrus Allen was also spotted numerous times via Chiefs social media channels. His ability to snap off routes and find open spots of grass could come in handy.

Patrick Mahomes is on track in his knee recovery

The success of this year's Kansas City team likely falls on the shoulders of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, as is the case for just about any elite signal-caller. The wrinkle for this season is that Mahomes is coming off a torn ACL and LCL, complicating his offseason some.

Despite that, Mahomes hasn't suffered any setbacks and is still recovering well. Head coach Andy Reid issued a positive progress report on his star field general at rookie minicamp.

How much will Mahomes participate in early stages of the offseason program? That remains to be seen, but rumblings of him being ready to roll by Week 1 aren't going away anytime soon.

Is Kristian Fulton flying under the radar in the Chiefs' new-look cornerback room?

It's abundantly clear that after moving up three spots for Delane in the draft, the Chiefs have sky-high hopes for him. He's the team's No. 1 cornerback entering the season, and he reshapes the position group in a big way.

Behind him, second-year man Nohl Williams faces significant expectations. Free-agent signing Kader Kohou projects as the starting nickel/slot option, with fourth-round rookie Jadon Canady being depth there. Are folks forgetting about Kristian Fulton, though?

Fulton carries a $13 million cap number for 2026, so it'd be smart for Kansas City to see what he's got. Injuries and a soft benching limited him a season ago but when on the field, he allowed a 55.6% completion rate and an 81.7 passer rating.

Until proven otherwise by the organization, any conversation about the Chiefs' cornerback conglomerate should absolutely include Fulton.

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