Chiefs vs Titans: D.J. White faces an important game for his future

One key player to watch on Thursday when the Kansas City Chiefs host the Tennessee Titans is second-year cornerback D.J. White.

D.J. White is a player worth watching Thursday night. With Terrance Mitchell battling a hamstring injury for most of the preseason, the number 2 cornerback position opposite of Marcus Peters has been a growing concern for Chiefs fans. Mitchell returned to practice on Sunday, but hamstring injuries can turn into lingering issues, so it is important for the Chiefs to know what they have behind him on the depth chart.

Philip Gaines and Steven Nelson are known commodities at this point. Gaines usually does a good job marking his man, only to let the opposing receiver come up with the catch anyway. Nelson is a solid option, especially in the slot. However, with defenses oftentimes needing to field 3 cornerbacks somebody needs to step up in the event that Mitchell’s hamstring flares up.

Looking back

DJ White is a second year player out of Georgia Tech that was taken in the 6^th round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Many scouts had a higher draft grade on him, including Lance Zierlein of NFL.com who projected him as a 3^rd round talent.

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White had limited playing time last season, but did show some potential. He was one of five Chiefs defenders to record an interception against Ryan Fitzpatrick. After that, White was on the field for over 50% of defensive snaps during games four through six last season according to Pro Football Reference. White had a rough game against Pittsburgh in week 4 (as did the entire defense), but had a solid game against the Saints in 27-21 win where he logged 60 defensive snaps and received a favorable rating from Pro Football Focus.

Unfortunately, White suffered a broken hand during that victory against the Saints. He only logged five defensive snaps after the injury. So far, White has not seen many reps with the first team defense during the preseason. He should see plenty of action against the Titans on Thursday and will have a chance to impress.

Outlook

The Titans will be playing their 1^st team offense to start the game. Marcus Mariota is one of the NFL’s rising superstars and he has several talented receivers at his disposal. Although Eric Decker and Corey Davis are not likely to play, White may have the opportunity to match up against promising rookie Taywan Taylor or proven veteran Rishard Matthews. This would be a good test for White. If he performs well Chiefs fans will feel a little bit better about the secondary.