To say that Mansoor Delane's NFL career has gotten off to a rocky start probably wouldn't tell half the story. The Kansas City Chiefs' sixth-overall pick this past April had been dealing with a nagging shoulder injury for much of the offseason. But Delane was healthy enough to play just three snaps versus the Denver Broncos in Week 1 before aggravating the same ailment.
He got things rolling with a bang, however, picking off Bo Nix on his first career drive, but he hasn't played since. Delane left the season opener with a shoulder injury right after the interception, and he was a (seemingly) healthy scratch in Week 2. Watching such a highly invested player remain on the sidelines throughout the game raised concerns about his injury status.
That's why head coach Andy Reid had to clear the air and put to rest all concerns about his situation. Apparently, it was just a matter of the team erring on the side of caution with their prized rookie in a low-stakes matchup.
The Chiefs need to see more from first round pick Mansoor Delane
"He was right on the border of, all right, you can get in and play a full game or, if we can, get it to calm down a little bit more and maybe he's better this week," Reid said. "It was a tweener position to be in, but he wanted to suit up and, if needed, he could have gone in. But we were trying to keep him from having to play a full game in there for sure."
Counting out a player after two games is unfair and inaccurate, but Delane's young tenure in Kansas City is certainly worth noting. He spent most of training camp wearing a yellow no-contact jersey, and he hasn't even played a full quarter, let alone a full game.
Of course, the Chiefs did the right thing by being overly cautious with him, especially so early in the season. Also, with Kristian Fulton finally staying healthy and playing well as his replacement, they can probably afford that luxury.
That said, the Chiefs gave up a lot to move up in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and with Trent McDuffie no longer in the building, Delane has some big shoes to fill. He must be on the field.
Moreover, L'Jarius Sneed might be solid as a veteran piece and a locker room leader, but he's clearly lost a step or two since leaving the team to join the Tennessee Titans. He's given up a league-worst 18 receptions on 21 targets for 171 yards and one touchdown. He's also been flagged twice and is giving up a 116.5 QB rating when targeted.
Just in case anyone was wondering how former #Titans CB L'Jarius Sneed was faring back in KC, here are the brutal @PFF numbers thru 2 games:
— John Glennon (@glennonsports) September 21, 2026
-18 catches allowed (NFL high -- by 7!) on 21 targets for 171 yds (NFL high) and 1 TD.
-2 penalties taken, 116.5 QB rating when targeted.
Delane's tape and body of work were well worth the hype and the high selection, but availability is the best ability. Rookies need as many reps as they can get to speed up their development, especially those who missed time in training camp.
The Chiefs will now hit the road for an easier matchup against the 0-2 Miami Dolphins, so they might spoon-feed Delane and not play him for the entire game. And even though that makes sense to a degree, in the long run, there comes a point when they must let him play through injuries and toughen up; that's life in the pros.
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