Now that the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2024 preseason period has come and gone, the next big event of the NFL offseason is almost upon us. That, of course, is cutdown day.
And while the Chiefs have several massive decisions to make this August, the toughest choice of all could occur at the cornerback position. After trading star CB L’Jarius Sneed this spring, Kansas City has held a virtual open competition behind Trent McDuffie.
The results have been… confusing.
In a battle between recent draft picks, UDFA finds and reclamation projects, the Chiefs have had their fair share of highs and lows at cornerback this summer. And while a few players have disappointed overall, one of the more positive developments has been veteran comeback story Kelvin Joseph.
“The fact that [Joseph] started the [final preseason] game opposite Jaylen Watson speaks volumes about how defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo may feel about him,” Arrowhead Pride beat reporter Pete Sweeney wrote after the summer finale against the Chicago Bears.
The media member named Joseph as one of three players that “impressed” with a roster berth on the line, and Spagnuolo calling on him to start with McDuffie, Joshua Williams and Nazeeh Johnson taking the game off was only part of his reasoning.
“The Dallas Cowboys’ former second-round pick produced a one-on-one pass breakup against wide receiver Nsimba Webster… [and] got the job done down the right sideline,” Sweeney continued later. “Joseph finished with the breakup and five tackles on the evening.”
He also noted that “given the injury status of Johnson and Williams, the Chiefs will likely need to keep six cornerbacks — and Joseph seems to be trending in the right direction to be the pick.”
Chiefs Beat Writer Predicts Ex-Cowboys Second Rounder Kelvin Joseph Will Make 53-Man Roster Over 2 KC Draft Picks
Sweeney wasn’t the only one to notice Joseph’s emergence throughout the summer. During a postgame 53-man roster projection, KSHB 41 beat reporter Nick Jacobs predicted that the former Cowboys prospect would make the team as the fifth cornerback behind McDuffie, Johnson, Watson and Williams.
Jacobs then placed a sixth CB on the roster as well, choosing another veteran reclamation project in Keith Taylor. He did this while cutting recent late-round draft picks Nic Jones and Kamal Hadden — although Jacobs does expect both to join the Chiefs’ practice squad should they clear waivers.
“Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo mentioning Keith Taylor ahead of their final preseason game was interesting,” the KC media member explained. “He did run some of the routes better than the receivers in coverage in the last game. One of those efforts led to his interception.”
Jacobs concluded that “the cornerback position will be worth monitoring among vested veterans released on the waiver wire” — hinting Taylor’s CB6 spot might not be safe despite the initial vote of confidence.
Little Clarity Has Been Gained on Which Chiefs CB Will Start Opposite Trent McDuffie
The assumption was always that Williams, Johnson and Watson would be the main contenders for the starting job opposite McDuffie. And remember, the Chiefs prefer not to rotate their cornerbacks mid-game if they can avoid it.
Those three still remain as options to start in Week 1, but don’t count out Joseph as a dark horse candidate.
Each of these four has dealt with some sort of nagging injury or another during training camp and the preseason. And each has also had their moments in the sun.
Assuming safety Chamarri Conner earns starting snaps in the slot more often than not, that leaves one integral job to be won. It’ll be fascinating to see which of these corners has the greatest impact throughout the 2024 campaign — or if the Chiefs end up ruing the day that they traded Sneed to the Tennessee Titans.
