Potential Chiefs CB Target Scooped Up Right After Jaylen Watson Injury

The Chiefs are in the market for a potential cornerback upgrade after Jaylen Watson's fractured ankle suffered in Week 7. Unfortunately, one option is no longer available after the Steelers made a quick move Monday evening.

Pittsburgh elevated C.J. Henderson from their practice squad to the active roster, eliminating a potential target for Kansas City. The ninth-overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Henderson represented the exact kind of prospect Brett Veach typically covets.

His career hasn't gone well to this point, though Veach loves buying low on highly-touted players. Now that Henderson is on an active roster, he's no longer available for the Chiefs to swoop in.

Steelers Sign CB C.J. Henderson to Active Roster

Henderson has spent time with the Jaguars, Panthers, and now Steelers. He was a standout at Florida though hasn't experienced the same success at the professional level.

During his career, Henderson has 172 tackles, 16 deflected passes, and three interceptions. Opposing QBs completed 73% of their attempts with a 106.8 passer rating when targeting Henderson in 2023, and he's never held QBs to a passer rating under 100 in the NFL.

There's still plenty of talent there, but Henderson has never been able to put things together. Perhaps he's a victim of circumstance and Steve Spagnuolo could've inspired better production, yet we'll never know thanks to the Steelers' decision to elevate him.

Kansas City has a difficult road to navigate moving forward. Numerous injuries have zapped the offense's depth but Watson's ailment is the first significant issue defensively. With the trade deadline just two weeks away, Veach only has a short amount of time to potentially make a move.

Either way, the Chiefs are in the driver's seat to win the AFC, marching toward a chance at a historic three-peat. Watson won't be back for quite some time, so we'll see how significant his loss will be moving forward.

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