K.C. Chiefs’ previous interest in Kyle Fuller could signal future actions

Back in 2018, the Chicago Bears placed a transition tag on a bright young cornerback named Kyle Fuller. The goal was to let the open market set the going rate for his services and, at that point, the Bears would still have the right of first refusal. Two teams reportedly bit with offer sheets—the Green Bay Packers and K.C. Chiefs—and Fuller took the Packers’ deal. In the end, none of it mattered. The Bears matched the offer and Fuller remained in the Windy City.

Three years later, the Chiefs now have the same sort of decision before them—that is, if they are still interested in Fuller’s services. The secondary has changed considerably since those days, but if they’re hungry for a proven veteran to sit alongside their impressive young core, Fuller could be an ideal fit in free agency.

On Saturday, the Bears officially set Fuller free after flirting with trading away his contract, which has become a sore spot for a team in need of space .Fuller’s official cap hit pre-release was approximately $20 million, which made it a difficult fit for any team in a trade. Besides, it made sense for any interested team to simply wait until he was released and then make a play for his services.

Fuller should be a very hot commodity on the open market as arguably the top cornerback available while it’s still early in free agency. A few corners have already signed, but plenty of teams still have money—including the Chiefs—which means bidding could become intense in the ensuing hours and days.

As the first round pick of the Bears back in 2014, Fuller has lived up to the billing with six productive seasons for Chicago and two Pro Bowl appearances to his name. He’s never missed a single game in his career, and he’s made every start for the last five-plus years as a boundary corner for the Bears heralded defense. Three seasons ago, Fuller led the NFL in interceptions with 7 and he’s had at least two turnovers forced in every season since turning pro.

The secondary needs have significantly changed for the Chiefs since the last time they checked in on Fuller of course. Since that season, the Chiefs have been to the AFC Championship three times and won a Super Bowl, and the cornerback position has been reinvented behind the emergence of young players like Charvarius Ward and L’Jarius Sneed. Both players remain on the roster along with Deandre Baker, Rashad Fenton, and BoPete Keyes. If Ward re-signs as an unrestricted free agent, then he, Sneed, and Baker are likely the starting trio already without adding a vet in the mix.

That said, there’s always room for a starter like Fuller who would provide stability and leadership in a group with a lot of question marks. How will Baker perform with a new team after missing most of last season? Can Ward bounce back from some frustrating performances last year? Can Sneed make a leap forward as a shutdown option? How much can other options improve with playing time if something goes wrong?

Fuller would turn the Chiefs secondary into one of the NFL’s best as a strong corner group would combine with a strong set of safeties in Juan Thornhill and Tyrann Mathieu. However, the Chiefs are going to face considerable competition for Fulller’s services. Whether they come out on top of not will be interesting to see.