Tyrann Mathieu is an obvious authority on what it takes to play safety in the NFL at a very high level. So when he recently spoke about the potential he sees in Chamarri Conner for the year ahead, Kansas City Chiefs fans are going to sit up and pay attention.
Mathieu recently visited Chiefs camp for multiple days to take in the sights and sounds of St. Joseph as the Chiefs worked out in training camp. Then he recounted his experiences on his podcast In The Bayou, giving insights into the work of Chiefs coaches behind the scenes as well as his thoughts on Patrick Mahomes' comeback and other players.
What might be most interesting, however, is his thoughts on Conner, a fourth-year safety who will be highly motivated to play well in a contract year. The Chiefs are counting on it in a remade secondary that lost Bryan Cook in free agency to the Cincinnati Bengals and was already a bit thin on reliable talent.
"I was really impressed with Chamarri Conner. They call him C2. But he started there the last couple of years. He played nickel last year, but they finally moved him to safety, so he's kind of doing what I did for Spags' defense," said Mathieu. "He's running the middle. He's playing hook. I think he's a guy that, if he don't make All-Pro this year, he'll be a Pro Bowler. I think he's that good. He's that good."
Mathieu is right to identify the positional shift. While Conner hasn't been used exclusively in a nickel corner role in the last two years, he has played a considerable amount of snaps inside when Trent McDuffie slid outside. His usage rates were perplexing (and frustrating) for Chiefs fans to watch since Conner was clearly outmatched in the role when tasked with covering players who could separate and allow easy first-down conversions.
That said, while Conner's play in the slot is problematic, he's actually a positive asset at safety when allowed to play there. Mathieu believes he apparently can be elite if allowed to stay within his comfort zone. Conner's a strong defender against the run and an impactful physical presence down low in the box. Mathieu approved of what he saw from Mathieu up close in camp and believes great things are ahead.
Coming from a former All-Pro, Chiefs Kingdom can only hope that Mathieu's prediction is accurate. it seems like a real stretch now that Conner would make the leap to such recognition, but Mathieu would know if anyone would. The positional switch that so many were asking for is underway, and it already sounds like it's yielding good things.
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