8 late-season storylines that will shape the Chiefs' future
Even some of the smaller moves the Chiefs coaches decide to make in the next few weeks could yield significant returns or insights down the road for the Chiefs.
By Matt Conner
With only three games left in the regular season, the Kansas City Chiefs have a couple of primary roster concerns at this point: 1.) to stay healthy, and 2.) to further develop chemistry for newer players who've stepped into starting roles along the way. That sounds good to us.
However, in addition to those core directives, there are only a few games left to see about some other roster developments that have us intrigued, especially in reference to preparing for the 2024 offseason. After all, general manager Brett Veach is getting ready to make a lot of very important decisions about how to construct the Chiefs for years to come.
That means that even some of the smaller moves the Chiefs coaches decide to make in the next few weeks could yield significant returns or insights down the road for the Chiefs. With that in mind, these are eight roster developments we'd love to see for the sake of the Chiefs future.
A strong finish for Chamarri Conner
The Chiefs traded up in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft in order to secure the services of Chamarri Conner. At the time, scouts praised him for his versatility in the secondary as a prospect who could play both safety spots as well as inside and out as a corner. In addition to playing multiple spots, Conner was also a tough, aggressive competitor who is a plus defender against the run.
While some folks point to L'Jarius Sneed as a similar player, the truth is that Sneed is faster and more athletically gifted which is why Sneed can sit on any opposing weapon and get the best of him on most downs. Just ask A.J. Brown or really any team's top wideout this year. But that's not Conner's role here.
Instead, think of Conner as a player who can give the Chiefs some real roster flexibility going forward if he's proven ready for the responsibility. You can put him at nickel back to cover the slot. You can have him anchor either safety role. You can bring back Justin Reid and hope Bryan Cook returns healthy and have him take Mike Edwards's spot instead. And if the Chiefs bring back Sneed, there's plenty of room for Conner to be here, too.
If Conner is ready to blossom and earn some FT reps at one or multiple positions, the Chiefs have some young talent they can trade and/or the depth to avoid having to make a veteran signing. He's also helpful insurance at multiple positions.