Chiefs defense will remain elite thanks to this under-the-radar signing

When the Chiefs signed cornerback Kristian Fulton to a two-year, $20 million contract in March, they hoped to solve one of their most glaring weaknesses from last season: cornerback depth. While Kansas City fields an elite tandem in All-Pro Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, their lack of a quality third cornerback led to some defensive regression in 2024. The addition of Fulton should help mitigate this issue and allow the Chiefs' defense to regain elite status in 2025.

In a Week 7 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, Watson suffered a broken fibula that caused him to miss the final eleven games of the regular season. Watson’s injury forced third-year players Nazeeh Johnson and Joshua Williams into larger roles, where they both struggled.

Kristian Fulton's well-rounded skill set will serve the Chiefs' defense well in a number of ways.

Johnson posted a coverage grade of 51.2 last season, ranking 171st among 222 qualified cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus. Williams outperformed Johnson last season, as he recorded a coverage grade of 68.3. However, he played zero defensive snaps in the postseason, indicating that the Chiefs’ coaching staff prefers other options.

In their Super Bowl-winning 2023 season, the Chiefs had an outstanding cornerback trio of McDuffie, Watson, and L’Jarius Sneed. This heavily contributed to them finishing the season as the 2nd-ranked total defense and the 4th-ranked passing defense. With Sneed being traded to the Tennessee Titans and Watson missing substantial time, the rankings regressed to 9th in total defense and all the way down to 18th in passing defense.

With Fulton now in the mix, the Chiefs have three legitimate starting corners who can slow down opposing passing games. As a member of the division rival Chargers last year, Fulton received an overall PFF grade of 71.1, ranking in the top 40 among 222 qualified cornerbacks.

Fulton is a well-rounded player, as his 79.3 run defense grade was among the best marks in the league at his position. With the likes of Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Jonathan Taylor on the schedule, the Chiefs need to have good run defenders at all three levels. For reference, Johnson received a run defense grade of 61.5 in 2024, so Fulton’s presence should greatly benefit the Chiefs in this area.

In the event that McDuffie or Watson were to miss time in 2025, Fulton will likely be an upgrade over what Johnson and Williams provided last year. This signing has some risks, as Fulton has struggled with injuries throughout his career, primarily during his tenure with the Titans. However, he appeared in a career-high 15 games in 2024.

If Fulton can stay healthy, this signing could prove to be one of the biggest steals of the offseason and help the Chiefs' defense regain elite status.