Five veteran cornerbacks who could fix Kansas City’s biggest roster concern

The Kansas City Chiefs have made seven straight AFC Championship Games, appeared in five of the last six Super Bowls, and won three of them. They are once again positioned to be one of the best teams in the NFL and have a great chance to compete for a Super Bowl again this season. Through the first few weeks of training camp and their first preseason game, one of the only things that could potentially derail that plan is a lack of depth at cornerback.

Free agent Kristian Fulton has begun limited practicing, but he's still not fully back from an offseason knee injury. He also has a history of lower-body injuries. The Chiefs’ other potential starting outside corner, Jaylen Watson, left their first preseason game with a concussion. That combination of injury issues has the Chiefs’ corner room in a bad spot.

The problem is that if both Fulton and Watson are out, it puts Nazeeh Johnson as a starting outside corner and Chamarri Conner handling the slot cornerback role. Neither of those things is good for the success of the Chiefs’ defense. So what can the Chiefs do about it? Well, despite their offseason signings and extensions, KC still has somewhere around $16–17 million in cap space for this season.

So the Chiefs have money to spend, but who is available?

Four Free Agent Cornerbacks The Chefs Could Sign

Stephon Gilmore

The former All-Pro will turn 35 next month, but still made 15 starts for the Minnesota Vikings last season. While he is a long way from the elite play of his prime, he was still a solid starter last season and would be a major upgrade from Nazeeh Johnson on the outside. He could even challenge either Watson and/or Fulton if they are both back to full strength.

Asante Samuel Jr.

Asante Samuel Jr. is only 25 years old and was a top-50 pick by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2021 NFL Draft. While never an elite corner, he was a solid starting corner for the Chargers for a few seasons, but in 2024, a neck/shoulder injury really hampered his play, and he was limited to just four games. He had neck surgery in April, so a couple of key questions include: “Is he healthy?” and “Is he willing to sign a one-year, prove-it deal, or is he looking for a bigger commitment?”

Kendall Fuller

Chiefs fans are already familiar with Kendall Fuller after his successful two-year run with the team from 2018–2019. Fuller is also known for playing well in the slot, which would be a nice plus since, currently, All-Pro Trent McDuffie is the only proven commodity the Chiefs have there. However, Fuller is 30 years old, had two concussions last season, and ended the year dealing with knee issues. So once again, there is a question of whether Fuller is healthy enough to play at the level he is known for.

Rasul Douglas

While not the biggest name on the list, Douglas is a starting-caliber outside corner who is still available. Douglas will turn 31 at the end of the month, and he was just an average player last season, starting 15 games for the Buffalo Bills. He also has the size and physical style that would fit with the Chiefs at outside corner. He might also not cost as much as someone like Gilmore or Samuel.

If those free-agent options don't appeal to the Chiefs for various reasons (age, injury status, money demands, etc.), there is another option: they could trade for one.

A Possible Chiefs Trade Target At Cornerback

Greg Newsome

If the Chiefs wanted to swing bigger than an aging veteran, former Cleveland Browns first-round pick Greg Newsome makes a lot of sense. Newsome has flashed high upside in his four seasons with the Browns, especially in press coverage (which would make him appealing to the Chiefs). However, he had a bit of a down year last season, and he is in the final year of his contract.

The Browns are a mess and can't realistically expect to compete this season. With Newsome's future in Cleveland already in doubt, it's certainly possible that they would consider a non-first-round pick to at least get something in return before he could walk in free agency.

So what do you think Chiefs fans? Do you like any of these cornerback options for the Chiefs? Do you agree that the Chiefs need to protect themselves by adding another proven cornerback to their defense? Feel free to post your thoughts in the comments below or on social media.