At this point last year, the Kansas City Chiefs had high hopes for Kristian Fulton. The veteran cornerback got a two-year, $20 million deal and was projected to have a big role in Steve Spagnuolo's secondary.
He played well enough when he was out there, but that didn't happen often. Constant injuries derailed his once-promising season, and he's now seemingly lost plenty of ground in the Chiefs' cornerback battle.
It's gotten so bad that Fulton may not even make the 53-man roster after all. He's been a no-show in back-to-back preseason games, and it would be financially tough to justify keeping him around for much longer.
Kristian Fulton might have a foot out of Kansas City after preseason action
For the majority of the preseason, Fulton didn't take the field until late in the game, and he didn't do much with his opportunities. Granted, the Chiefs might be taking things slowly with an injury-prone veteran looking to get back on his feet, but that certainly didn't seem to be the case.
The Chiefs overhauled their secondary this offseason, but that doesn't mean they're thin at cornerback. If anything, they have five roster locks at the position, starting with rookie first-round pick Mansoor Delane.
Nohl Williams looked sharp on limited action as a rookie and should be the leading candidate to start opposite Delane on the boundary. They also have L'Jarius Sneed, Kader Kohou, and impressive rookie Jadon Canady, plus a safety/nickel corner hybrid in Chris Roland-Wallace.
According to Spotrac, the Chiefs would also save $5 million in cap space by cutting Fulton before the start of the season. That might not sound like much, but it can come in handy for a big in-season move.
Fulton could still be a valuable trade chip. There's always a market for cornerbacks, and while his stock might be plummeting right now, one team's trash can be another team's gold. If anything, the Chiefs should try to gauge league interest in his services.
The Chiefs have a great problem on their hands. There's no such thing as simply replacing Trent McDuffie, and the new cornerbacks will have some big shoes to fill, but it looks like this team is well-equipped to handle the situation.
The clock is ticking, and Fulton is running out of time to make a case for himself. Will he finally step up in the team's final dress rehearsal before the season opener? Let's wait and see.
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