Kansas City Chiefs: It’s too early to panic about the cornerbacks

Kendall Fuller

As a part of the Alex Smith trade to the Washington Redskins, Fuller will take over as the number one cornerback on the Chiefs roster following Peters being traded. While we can’t expect Fuller to come in and play to the elite style that Peters provided for three seasons, there is no reason to feel less than optimistic about what he brings to the table.

Kansas City has praised Fuller and rightfully so. Last season, Fuller ranked among the top five cornerbacks in football according to Pro Football Focus. The Chiefs plan to use Fuller on the outside while in base packages but moving him inside when moving to nickel and dime sets. That’s something the Chiefs never did with Marcus Peters as he stayed in one position.

Allowing a quarterback rating of just 55 when targeted in the slot, it makes sense that the Chiefs want to play him there as much as possible. While most fans look at the slot cornerback as the third best corner on the field, it’s the hardest position for a corner to play. Not having the outside boundary as another defender and having to cover the entire field is not something that every cornerback can do.

There’s also the change in the NFL where top wide receivers are often moving around the offense and often lining up in the slot. Los Angeles Chargers utilize Keenan Allen at high volumes in the slot looking to get better matchups. Another tremendous wide receiver would be Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald who has made most of his production from the slot over recent years.

Allowing Fuller to play in the slot will benefit the Chiefs and let players like Nelson and Amerson to work the boundaries. Sutton will also have the opportunity to move Fuller around considering he has another slot cornerback in Nelson. The versatility is not something to look past when it comes to these players.