History says Kristian Fulton might will still make his mark with Chiefs

It's Week 5, and Kristian Fulton is still injured. As far as his chapter with the Kansas City Chiefs is concerned, that's the only narrative worth writing about so far.

On Thursday, the Chiefs returned to practice to prepare for a Week 5 showing against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday Night Football. The good news is that every player was able to participate in practice, but Fulton was the only one with limitations.

That Fulton has been sidelined since he arrived in Kansas City, as it relates to being on the field at least, is going to be a turnoff for some Chiefs fans. It makes sense, too. Fulton missed nearly all of training camp on the Physically Unable to Play list, and four games into a new season, he's played 17 total snaps on defense.

In the time Fulton has spent watching on the sidelines, rookie Nohl Williams has ascended the depth chart and earned rave reviews for his physical play that looks NFL-ready even as he still adjusts to the leap in competition. When you put all of this together, it'd be natural for some fans to dismiss Fulton when thinking of the bigger picture.

But this brings up something that's important to keep in mind regarding Fulton: the Chiefs brought in the free-agent cornerback for good reasons—to the tune of a two-year, $20 million deal. That's not "taking a flyer" or "adding some depth". That's a solid paycheck intended for a good player expected to bolster the secondary.

All of that can still be true.

While Fulton remains limited, and it's possible he misses a fifth consecutive game to start his Chiefs' tenure, let's take a look at the career numbers for Fulton.

Kristian Fulton's career snap percentages

Two things prove true, at least in the numbers, for Fulton. First, he is injury-prone. There's no way around it. Hamstring issues. Knee injuries. Groin concern. Now, a problematic ankle for the Chiefs. Fulton is no ironman, but the Chiefs knew this when they signed him back in March.

The other point, however, is that Fulton always seems to miss a handful of games before coming back to be a volume defender. Despite missing a few games each year for Tennessee, Fulton still re-entered the lineup and played nearly every snap on the boundary. Last year, Fulton was healthier than ever for the Chargers and locked down nearly 80 percent of snaps in the secondary.

That's what makes it impossible to write Fulton off. The Chiefs aren't likely do so, and neither should fans. While Fulton remains limited at the present time, when healthy, he's likely going to reorient the depth chart—in a good way. With Fulton returning, they'll have multiple players who can assume a startling role, which gives Steve Spagnuolo more versatility and security than ever.

A team with the sort of enviable depth that the Chiefs have in the secondary is a very good problem to have in a long season with deep postseason expectations. Expect Fulton to be a big part of things once he can return to the field, a hopeful turn in the narrative for all.