Can Chiefs' Chamarri Conner Continue Success in 3rd Season?

The Kansas City Chiefs had a strong defense last season; a defense that found ways to hold onto several one score games for the franchise that led them back to the top of the AFC West.

While the defense did not look good in the final game of the season against the Philadelphia Eagles, the franchise has a strong group to build around.

Several key players returned to the Chiefs this offseason so far, but many have also taken their skills out of Kansas City. While the Chiefs are leaning more toward a younger defense, there are already up and coming players to take charge for the future. One of those players is safety Chamarri Conner.

The Chiefs' former fourth round pick out of Virginia Tech in the 2023 NFL Draft made a quick first impression for the franchise. In his rookie campaign, Conner played in a full 17 games while collecting 36 total tackles, 31 being solos. He was also a strong asset to the Chiefs playoff run, which ended in them hoisting up the Lombardi Trophy.

His sophomore season saw no slumps, as he played in fewer games and increased his previous career highs. Last season, Conner recorded 77 total tackles, 58 solo tackles, had one quarterback sack, one forced fumble and recovery, two interceptions and had four passes defended.

According to PFF.com, overall Conner was an average defender last season, but the area that stood out from his 15 games played was his run defense. Listed by PFF, Conner scored a 76.6 grade against rushing, which not only puts him above average, but also ranked him 31st out of 223 players listed.

After seeing his growth from year one to year two, the Chiefs should feel comfortable sending him out on the field to defend their turf. Going into his age 25 season, Conner could easily prove all the doubters wrong and be the latest example of a late round gem for Kansas City.

As it stands, Conner could easily be the nickelback option for the Chiefs, given both Jaden Hicks and Bryan Cook will hold down both safety positions respectfully. That shouldn't take anything away from Conners' potential breakout season in 2025 though.