During general manager Brett Veach’s time leading the Kansas City Chiefs, he has continually shown the ability to scout, draft, and even trade for young defensive backs who turn into starting-caliber and even All-Pro-type players. Could we be seeing the next great secondary piece about to blossom in front of our eyes? Chamarri Conner, a fourth-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, will be a player to keep an eye on heading into the 2024 season.
Conner was drafted at No. 119 overall and was looked at as a depth piece at the time. During his college career at Virginia Tech, Conner played cornerback and safety. That’s the type of diversity that both Veach and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo love to see in their defensive backs. Being able to utilize one player in different roles makes them even more valuable to the team.
Conner could be asked to play a role similar to what former Chiefs fourth-round pick L’Jarius Sneed played over the past few seasons. Spagnuolo was able to move Sneed all over the defense and play him in a variety of formations before eventually utilizing him as a lockdown cornerback. There’s no need to put that kind of pressure or expectation on Conner at this point, but his coaches will know how to best utilize him at this point in his career.
Last season, Conner was able to step up and fill in for starting safety Bryan Cook after he went down with a season-ending injury in Week 13. Conner was able to play at a high level through the end of the regular season and all the way through the Super Bowl, helping the team win back-to-back championships for the first time in team history.
With Cook making his way back from injury and Justin Reed set to continue starting at the other safety spot, Conner will likely be used as a Swiss Army Knife chess piece for Spagnuolo. Conner can attack from anywhere on the field, and using him in the slot or coming off the edge as a corner blitzer could be a great way to utilize his talents. Conner loves making plays, but that also comes with a little bit of risk.
Conner had a missed tackle rate of 17.3%, the highest missed tackle rate of the returning secondary players on the Chiefs. This doesn’t have to be a full red flag, but something to consider and watch for as his second season plays out. The Chiefs will take a few missed tackles as long as the big plays can make up for that along the way. They can coach him up to hopefully limit the missed tackles while also not taking away the downhill playmaker mentality Conner possesses.
How can Conner make that second-year jump? Getting more playing time before Week 13 will help a ton. Conner should be an every-down player in dime packages and can be utilized often as a slot cornerback in nickel packages. There should be plenty of opportunities for Conner to get more playing time. It will be up to him to get better and clean up the missed tackles, but an increase in playing time should give him the opportunity to create more big plays as well. The potential to play a versatile secondary piece in Spagnuolo’s defense will give Conner the chance to showcase his skills at an even higher level this upcoming season. Whether playing from a traditional safety position, lining up inside as a slot corner, or blitzing from anywhere on the field, Conner will have the chance to make his second-year jump a big one in 2024.
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