3 Chiefs Already on Thin Ice Entering Week 1 vs. Ravens
By Joe Summers
3. Jaylen Watson - CB
Perhaps the biggest question facing the team is how it'll replace star cornerback L'Jarius Sneed after trading him to the Titans in the offseason. Both Andy Reid and Steve Spagnuolo suggested that no player grabbed the CB2 job by the horns, though Jaylen Watson is listed as a starter on that first depth chart.
Watson, Joshua Williams, and Nazeeh Johnson were all vying for that starting spot, though injuries across the board during training camp limited their time in practice. Watson won the battle of attrition, but it doesn't feel like his role is 100% secure should he struggle. The Ravens, Bengals, and Falcons all have high-powered offenses that'll test the secondary, so Watson will be thrown into the fire immediately.
The 2022 seventh-round pick was impressive last season, surrending just a 56.3% completion percentage when targeted while seeing his snap count rise during the postseason. If he develops into a reliable starter opposite Trent McDuffie, the Chiefs' defense won't miss a beat without Sneed.
The last time the Chargers visited the Chiefs, then-rookie Jaylen Watson scored a 99-yard pick 6 to break the tie 💪 pic.twitter.com/Jhidq4f2mc
— Farzin Vousoughian (@Farzin21) October 17, 2023
There's considerable pressure on Watson in his third season but he's got a tremendous opportunity to become a long-term starter for the organization. Should he falter though, the Chiefs will have to quickly figure out who can hold down that CB2 position.
Watson is one of the team's biggest "x-factors" in 2024, and how the defense ultimately fares against tough competition could largely hinge on his performance.
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