The Kansas City Chiefs have invested heavy into their defense this season. General manager Brett Veach is giving defensive mastermind Steve Spagnuolo the groceries he needs to get this team back to Super Bowl contention.
With one of the best -- if not the best -- defensive coordinators in the league, that's not necessarily a bad thing. That said, the Chiefs have already made several moves, and they should now focus their efforts on the other side of the ball.
That's one of several reasons why they should want no part of the latest Marshon Lattimore rumors. Pro Football Network's Alex Kennedy listed the Chiefs as a potential landing spot for the former star cornerback, but there's really no way to justify them pulling that trigger at this point in the offseason.
The Chiefs shouldn't want anything to do with Marshon Lattimore
""Injuries have been a recurring theme in Marshon Lattimore’s NFL career, which played a big role in why the Washington Commanders released him prior to the start of free agency. Over his last four seasons, he’s missed a combined 33 games. That said, when Lattimore has been healthy, he has played at a very high level.""PFSN's Alex Kennedy
Kennedy also listed AFC foes, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans, among fits for the four-time Pro-Bowler. Losing Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson was clearly a blow to the secondary, but the Chiefs already drafted Mansoor Delane and brought back L'Jarius Snead. Also, second-year CB Nohl Williams showed signs of promise as a rookie, and Kristian Fulton should have a bigger role if he can stay healthy in 2026.
Even if that weren't the case, Lattimore isn't the guy he used to be. His time with the Washington Commanders has been vastly underwhelming, playing just 11 games in two seasons with the team and accounting for fewer than 20 solo tackles. And given his history of injuries, it's hard to believe things will be much better -- or that he'll be healthier -- entering his age-30 season.
Of course, there was a time when Lattimore was one of the most feared defensive backs in the game, an All-Pro-caliber shutdown corner any team would've killed to have. Those days are far behind him, and nostalgia doesn't win Super Bowls.
All things considered, the Chiefs should definitely stay active in the trade market and free agency. Their wide receiver corps is one of the thinnest in the game, and Rashee Rice might not be healthy -- or eligible -- to play early in the season after his offseason knee surgery and bout in jail.
According to OverTheCap, the Chiefs have a meager $4.1 million in available cap space, but there are always ways to make the numbers work and bring someone else in town. Still, if Veach is going to make that effort, he might as well do it for someone with a chance to start or at least have a big role for a position of need. Not for an injury-prone cornerback who hasn't been a starting-caliber player for three years.
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