Benched Chief Suddenly Thrust Back Into Big Role After Injury
By Joe Summers
The Chiefs received a poor bit of injury news at Thursday's practice just ahead of a matchup with the Texans in Week 16, as starting CB Chamarri Conner was officially ruled out. That means Nazeeh Johnson will once again receive significant snaps just a few weeks after being benched.
Andy Reid spoke to the media and said there's a chance that Conner will play on Christmas against the Steelers. For now, it'll be Conner, Trent McDuffie, and Joshua Williams as the top three corners.
Against a high-powered offense like Houston's with talented receivers such as Nico Collins and Tank Dell, Saturday will be a massive test for Johnson and the rest of the secondary.
Chiefs CB Chamarri Conner Ruled Out vs. Texans
#Chiefs HC Andy Reid says there's a chance Chamarri Conner can play on Wednesday (Steelers), but he's out for Saturday's game (Texans).
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) December 19, 2024
Johnson played 90% or more of the defensive snaps Weeks 10-12. It didn't go well. He was quickly benched in Week 13, seeing just 19% of snaps then and 23% the following week.
Conner and Williams stepped up in those two games but once Conner went down against the Browns, Johnson once again became the third corner. On the season, he's given up a 103.3 passer rating when targeted. He grades poorly in coverage at Pro Football Focus, ranking 161st out of 213 qualified corners.
It's perhaps not a coincidence that the Chiefs looked so much better defensively when Conner was taken out of the lineup, though Charles Omenihu's return from injury might've had a larger role in the improvement.
#Chiefs S Justin Reid says it'll be the next-guy-up mentality without Chamarri Conner: "It doesn't matter who is on the field; when you're on the field, you're a starter. We have the record that we have because guys have been able to come in and make plays when we need them to."
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) December 19, 2024
We'll find out for sure on Saturday. If Kansas City beats Houston and then Pittsburgh on Christmas Day, they'll secure the No. 1 seed and can rest starters in Week 18. Considering how many injuries the roster is dealing with, that extra rest means more to the Chiefs than perhaps any other contender.
Johnson now has a chance to prove he belongs on the field in the playoffs. It'll be interesting to see if he takes advantage of it.
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