Three Questions: Kansas City Chiefs Secondary

Oct 6, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Cooper (31) holds the ball after scoring a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans during the first half at LP Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

Are Marcus Cooper, Phillip Gaines, and Ron Parker ready to take on bigger roles?

One thing the Chiefs have in their secondary is a ton of youth and speed. Cooper, Gaines, and Parker are all young guys who have good size and speed to burn. Those three things are key in order to play in Bob Sutton’s secondary because of how often he will put his corners on an island 30 yards down field. So from a skill set perspective, the Chiefs have to like what they have.

What they don’t have is a lot of experience. Ron Parker has started all of one game in the NFL and Gaines is a rookie. In terms of starts, Cooper is the most experienced of the bunch and he only has seven to his credit. Many of the problems Cooper had last season were due to his lack of experience and understanding of the position. How much can we count on guys like Cooper, Parker, and Gaines to grow and improve the secondary?

The biggest case for waiting to cut Brandon Flowers was because of this experience issue. Depth is suddenly an issue unless the Chiefs can get some big steps forward from all three of these young corners. If not, the Chiefs could find themselves in a lot of trouble on the edge.