The Kansas City Chiefs have done a great job at developing quality cornerbacks over the years.
They'll need to do again in 2024 if they hope to accomplish a Super Bowl three-peat. The Chiefs traded away veteran L'Jarius Sneed during the offseason but wouldn't have done so had they not felt comfortable with the talent that they have. That talent starts with third-year player Trent McDuffie, who is coming off a First-Team All-Pro 2023 season.
As the Chiefs' No. 1 cornerback, McDuffie will move from playing mostly in the slot to playing mostly on the outside. It should be a seamless transition as he played on the outside during college and has done well with it in small doses in the NFL. He's in good hands with the defensive coaching staff, which helped Sneed convert from the slot to one of the best outside CBs in the league.
Behind McDuffie is a slew of exciting young talent. Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams are the most experienced of the group and will be vying for the other starting CB position. However, that job is far from locked down by anybody, making it one of the most exciting battles of training camp.
Let's do a deep dive into the wide-open Chiefs' cornerback unit.
Chiefs CB overview ahead of training camp
Who are the expected starters:
Outside CB- Trent McDuffie
Outside CB- Jaylen Watson
Slot CB- Chamarri Conner
Who is currently hurt:
Nazeeh Johnson is coming off a torn ACL that he suffered during last year's training camp. He participated in offseason OTAs and mandatory minicamp, which is a great sign that he'll be ready to go for training camp.
Jaylen Watson had successful offseason surgery on a torn labrum that he played with for most of last season. He may be limited at the start of camp, but he seems to be progressing well.
Who is on the trading block:
If young guys such as Nazeeh Johnson, Nic Jones and Ekow Boye-Doe have strong camps, veterans Joshua Williams and Kelvin Joseph could be trade candidates. Williams has been a nice depth player each of the last two seasons but hasn't quite been able to crack the starting lineup.
If he still can't this year, a change of scenery might do him well. Williams is a big, physical CB who can fit into many different schemes. Joseph is a former second-round draft pick whose career has been plagued by injuries. He was a standout for the Chiefs during OTAs and could have some trade value if he carries that moment throughout camp and preseason.
Biggest Chiefs training camp battle: CB2
As mentioned above, the starting CB job opposite McDuffie is completely up for grabs. Expect many players to be rotated around and get a chance.
Who has the edge:
Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams have the most on field playing experience and should get the first crack at the job. With Watson possibly missing some time early on, Williams could have the edge. However, hot on his heels are Nazeeh Johnson and Kelvin Joseph.
Johnson was on track to earn the job last year before getting hurt, and Joseph earned some snaps with the first team defense during last month's minicamp. They'll both get some run with the starters during training camp and have the chance to prove themselves.
Sorting out the rest:
The Chiefs will keep five or six CBs. Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson are locks. Chamarri Conner, who should be the team's primary slot CB, could be listed as a safety since he'll contribute at that position as well, so that frees up another CB spot. Given Nic Jones' upside and it being just his second year, he's a good bet to make the roster.
Jones should rotate with Conner as a slot defender. K.C. could play it safe and round out the unit with Joshua Williams and Kelvin Joseph, but Ekow Boye-Doe and rookie Kamal Hadden won't go quietly. It will take strong camps from the latter two, but they have the talent to pull it off. Other Chiefs CBs include Miles Battle, D.J. Miller, Christian Roland-Wallace and Keith Taylor - who all have uphill battles to make the roster.
Biggest training camp sleeper: Miles Battle
The Chiefs signed Battle as an undrafted free agent this offseason. Battle's measurables and athletic testing numbers are off the charts, standing at 6-foot-3 and running a 4.3 40-yard dash. He's a better athlete than a football player right now, but if he can translate his athletic gifts to make an impact on special teams, he could - at the least - snag a spot on the practice squad.
Related: Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp Preview: Safeties provide athleticism and versatility to secondary
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