Chiefs Already Have Replacement for Injured Starter Lined Up

The Chiefs lost a valuable member of the defense in Week 7 as standout third-year CB Jaylen Watson suffered a fractured ankle and could miss the entire rest of the season.

Thankfully, Kansas City is adept at developing young players in the secondary. It's Brett Veach and Steve Spagnuolo's specialty and Andy Reid's latest comments suggest the coaching staff already knows who will step up in Watson's absence.

2022 seventh-round pick Nazeeh Johnson will step into the starting role with players like Chamarri Conner, Joshua Williams, and Chris Roland-Wallace filling in as well.

Andy Reid Reveals Jaylen Watson Replacement

Referring to Nazeeh Johnson, Reid said he's "gotten better and stronger, and so that’s the main thing, he’s a good player, he has the confidence."

While Johnson has only played 28% of the defensive snaps, he's more than capable of filling Watson's shoes. He's only allowed a 33% completion percentage when targeted in coverage this year and his versatility plays right into Spagnuolo's scheme.

Watson's loss is major and can't be overstated, especially considering how dominant this defense has been so far. The second cornerback spot was a topic of much debate following L'Jarius Sneed's departure and Watson has been superb this year. Now that he's gone, Johnson must rise to the occasion.

Reid believes in the young player, as does Veach and Spagnuolo. If Johnson delivers, he'll be in line for a sizable contract extension over the next couple of years. Johnson, Watson, and Williams are all tied together in the sense that they're young, promising players. When one goes down, another must deliver.

Johnson faces the most important stretch of games in his career thus far moving forward. He's a capable Watson replacement, though we'll see if the defense misses a beat without a valuable starter.

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