Chiefs might finally unlock Chamarri Conner (by doing the obvious)

The Kansas City Chiefs enter 2025 with pretty solid depth at defensive back. Kansas City will hope to see Kristian Fulton stake his claim after adding him in free agency. Meanwhile, someone like Jaden Hicks will receive an increased opportunity entering his second career season. But for incumbent players on the roster, figuring out their exact roles will still be fascinating to monitor.

Does Trent McDuffie truly live out of the slot and see even fewer outside snaps than last year? Will Bryan Cook still command consistent starting reps at safety after Justin Reid left in free agency?

Chamarri Conner is another name who will be an intriguing case to follow in 2025. Conner was still able to produce fair results throughout portions of last season. But as he enters his third career season, the Virginia Tech product could be better suited for a different role. Would more playing time at a natural safety spot benefit both Chamarri Conner and the Chiefs' defense?

Could more playing time at safety in 2025 benefit Chamarri Conner and the Chiefs defense?

In 2024, Chamarri Conner saw 728 total defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. PFF displays that 469 of those came at slot cornerback. With L'Jarius Sneed being shipped out to Tennessee, McDuffie saw an increase in outside cornerback reps in 2024. That led to Conner being thrust to a more routine role in the slot.

Conner received just a 64.4 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus last season. He got beat over the top a fair amount, which contributed to that grade. Meanwhile, Conner’s frame and density can hurt him against the fastest or shiftiest pass catchers operating from the slot. If you look at some of Kansas City’s worst games as a pass defense in 2024, Conner was left scrambling and chasing out of position far too often.

Where Chamarri Conner is explosive in short areas, he lacks the elite athleticism that teams can use against him in the slot. His man coverage abilities can be hindered by a lack of foot speed. Plus, Conner is average at best, when it comes to his overall length. With how much man coverage the Chiefs typically run under Steve Spagnuolo, Conner would be better off being able to see passes develop, rather than trying to lock receivers down.

In zone coverage, Conner offers the read-and-react ability that makes him a good source of ball production. If he can utilize his instincts, the Chiefs defender is generally swift to pick up on tendencies from the opposing offense. Perhaps Kansas City could look to consistently fit him at safety, playing him on the roof or over the top.

Why does a natural move to safety possibly make more sense for Chamarri Conner this year? For one, the aforementioned departure of Justin Reid will lead to a sizable change in the safety room for a couple of Chiefs players. Reid did so much in both pass coverage and run defense. Filling his shoes will likely require a collective effort. Mike Edwards returned to Kansas City this offseason and could contend for that spot.

There may also be a bit of pressure on Bryan Cook. Given it is the last year of his rookie deal, opportunities could be given to other safeties in a pinch. Will the Chiefs look to faze him out partly, if struggles arise from Cook?

Conner did occasionally see reps in the box last year. So if he does play more safety than slot cornerback, it would not always have to be over the top. But if you look back at his greatest moments from his rookie year and in college, being able to move around and attack the football suited him best. Time will tell if Kansas City opts to deploy him as one of their top safeties instead of placing him at cornerback.