Chiefs Have Big Problem After Another Starter Suffers Injury in Browns Win

The Chiefs may have escaped Week 15 with a victory over the Browns, though it still came at a significant cost. Not only did Patrick Mahomes suffer an ankle injury that could derail the offense, but starting defensive back Chamarri Conner was knocked out of the contest as well .

Conner sustained a concussion and his status for Saturday's matchup with the Texans is in doubt. Considering it's a short week, it'd be a surprise if he suited up.

Given how many injuries that Kansas City has suffered on both sides of the ball, Conner's loss could represent a major problem for the secondary.

Chiefs DB Chamarri Conner Knocked Out of Browns Game With Concussion

Originally a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Conner has emerged as one of the best players in the seconary. He has 72 tackles, four deflected passes, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a sack.

He's given up a 96.9 passer rating when targeted in coverage, having played 64% of the defensive snaps while contributing on special teams as well.

After Jaylen Watson went down, the secondary started to struggle. Nazeeh Johnson has regressed, forcing guys like Keith Taylor to enter the lineup and play moderately significant snaps. If Conner can't play against Houston, Kansas City may be in trouble.

C.J. Stroud and the Texans have one of the NFL's most explosive offenses. It's easy to imagine Nico Collins and Tank Dell torching this secondary, especially if the Chiefs are forced to rely on lesser players.

We'll find out this week more about Conner's status. At this point, it feels unlikely that he's on the field. Andy Reid's prognosis seemed optimistic immediately following the game, though the organization needs to prioritize Conner's long-term health.

He'll be fine by the time the playoffs roll around, yet it's still unfortunate to see such an important player go down this late in the year.

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