Chiefs might be looking for cornerback help sooner than fans expected

Earlier this week, the Kansas City Chiefs decided to sign a wide receiver to respond to roster needs in the wake of injuries—even though they're mostly minor. Fans might want to expect the same in the secondary.

The Chiefs might have only submitted a single official transaction on Wednesday when they signed Kwamie Lassiter II to the preseason roster. However, the team also visited with several defensive backs to get a better look at their options, and it's quite plausible that one (or a different option) could be joining the Chiefs soon enough.

Lassiter's signing came in response to the attrition at wideout. Xavier Worthy is in the league's concussion protocol. Hollywood Brown is dealing with an ankle injury. Skyy Moore left practice with a hamstring concern. While the offseason roster allows up to 90 players, enough injuries will force a move.

A move at cornerback could be coming if hamstring injuries linger for the Chiefs.

The same thing could be happening at cornerback. Darius Rush, Eric Scott, and safety Deon Bush were all out with hamstring concerns before the Chiefs took a day off on Thursday in training camp. Veteran free-agent signing Kristian Fulton also remains on the team's Physically Unable to Play list, so corner is a thinned-out position at the moment.

The Chiefs responded by bringing in four cornerbacks for tryouts this week: Ajani Carter, Harrison Hand, Azizi Hearn, and Kaleb Hayes.

Carter is a rookie free agent from the University of Houston who is searching for a place to call home after going undrafted this year. Hearn has bounced around NFL camps for a couple of years, with short stints with the Patriots and Raiders, among other teams.

Hayes is making the transition from the UFL and was a BYU product in 2023. Hand was a fifth-round choice of the Minnesota Vikings in the 2020 NFL Draft and spent last summer with the Atlanta Falcons before landing on injured reserve. Interesting note: Hand is a cousin of former Chiefs defensive lineman Turk McBride.

Hamstring injuries are natural early in training camp as players adjust to being back in rigorous practces, especially mid-summer sessions in the Missouri heat. Perhaps the Chiefs avoided making an official move until those hamstring issues linger for more than a day or two. That said, one more injury will likely lead to a phone call.