The Kansas City Chiefs are dealing with an injury in the secondary with Kristian Fulton on the PUP list to begin the 2025 preseason. Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson are still locked into starting roles, giving the unit a level of stability. While Fulton being lost for a bit is going to be impactful, the Chiefs have enough talent to overcome the injury and still remain among the league's better defensive units.
If training camp is any indication, the Chiefs are going to deal with the injury by putting Chamarri Conner in the slot.
It isn't an unexpected decision with Conner having spent the last two years in various roles with the Chiefs. Drafted in 2023, the corner has been able to fill a handful of roles or a reliable depth option when needed.
Putting Conner into the slot until Fulton is ready to return makes sense for Kansas City and offers a high level of continuity. So much so that the Chiefs should have little reason to worry about what the secondary is going to look like at the start of the 2025 season if Fulton isn't ready to return.
Chamarri Conner Already Impressing at Training Camp
More Goal Line: Patrick Mahomes to Travis Kelce .. deflected by Drue Tranquill and INT by Chamarri Conner. pic.twitter.com/tZYWBO96vJ
— Harold R. Kuntz (@HaroldRKuntz3) July 22, 2025
Looking at the current roster, it is easy to argue that the biggest concern moving forward is the offensive line. With the loss of Joe Thuney, there are so many question marks around the unit. Still, we've seen the Chiefs deal with leaky offseason lines in past seasons and still manage to make two Super Bowls while attempting to find solutions. As long as Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes remain with the organization, the AFC Championship game remains the roster's floor.
Still, if the Chiefs are forced to start the season without Fulton, it isn't ideal when it comes to the current depth. The Chiefs would be one injury away from having a very real problem in the secondary. Conner offers stability, but there isn't a clear option behind the KC corner who can step in if another injury strikes.
With this in mind, keeping an eye on the position throughout the camp and preseason will be far more interesting than normal. With an elevated chance depth options will see action in the first weeks of the 2025 season, the Chiefs will have interesting decisions to make when deciding how to fill out the depth chart after the three starters.