This offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs made a statement with their secondary, completely overhauling their DB room and showing confidence in the staff's ability to develop young talent. Brett Veach and Co. made several bold moves, trading two-time All-Pro corner Trent McDuffie to the Rams and letting other key starters like Jaylen Watson and Bryan Cook walk in free agency.
Over the years, the Chiefs have shown a rare knack for developing cornerback talent. Guys like McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, and Charvarius Ward, just to name a few, are examples of players the Chiefs have added out of college and developed into high-level NFL defensive backs.
Maybe the best example of the team's incredible ability to develop prospects in the secondary is L'Jarius Sneed, a player who's returned for another run. The former Louisiana Tech safety came into the NFL as a raw prospect from the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft and developed into one of the best corners in the NFL. After being tagged and traded to the Titans in 2024, he's back in K.C. on a one-year contract.
This offseason, the Chiefs overhauled their cornerback room, adding players through the draft and free agency. So how does the Chiefs' cornerback room stand after the signing of Sneed? And what could the depth chart look like in September?
Can L'Jarius Sneed recapture his old form?
People forget just how good Sneed was for the Chiefs before Kansas City made the difficult decision to trade him. While his accolades are limited, Sneed was arguably among the best corners in the NFL in 2023 and 2024. He was an elite press-man corner who could play in the slot as well as on the boundary, and he was incredible in zone flats. Before his departure, there was a real debate among fans and analysts about whether the Chiefs should extend Sneed or Chris Jones in the offseason.
Since leaving Kansas City, Sneed has struggled with knee and thigh injuries that have cast a major shadow over his time with Tennessee. Now back in Kansas City, Sneed not only gets a clean slate on a one-year, prove-it deal, but he is also back with the team that helped him have the most success in his NFL career. If Sneed can get healthy, even if he is not 100 percent of what he used to be for the Chiefs, he will provide a major boost to the defense.
How quickly can the Chiefs' rookie corners contribute?
Shifting to the rest of the cornerbacks room, the Chiefs made two major investments through the draft. With the sixth overall pick in the draft (and the highest pick the team has held since drafting Patrick Mahomes 10th overall in 2017), the Chiefs added LSU star Mansoor Delane. One of the best coverage corner prospects we have ever seen, Delane will immediately serve as the Chiefs' top corner in 2026.
While Delane was the headline of the Chiefs' draft, Canady was widely seen as the best coverage slot corner in the draft. The Chiefs made investments in coverage corners whom the team felt could hold up in man coverage, and both Delane and Canady bring value in that department. With the team's high-intensity defense, they will likely rely on both rookies this year to make an impact in 1-on-1 man coverage late in games when Steve Spagnuolo ramps up the blitz.
Can the Chiefs find value in Kader Kohou and Kaiir Elam?
While the Chiefs did not make any major waves at cornerback in free agency, both Kaiir Elam and Kader Kohou will be fighting for a roster spot in camp. Elam, a former first-round pick, has bounced around the league and has struggled to really find a good fit. On the other hand, Kohou was a UDFA pickup by the Dolphins, who had limited experience but served as a capable slot corner at times in Miami. Both guys have a shot at the Week 1 roster and will be worth keeping an eye on this offseason.
Which returning corners have the edge entering camp?
In limited reps, Nohl Williams looked like one of the best rookie corners in the NFL last year, and many expect to see him take a big step in 2026. While Williams is a likely starter for the Chiefs in 2026, Kristian Fulton will have to fight his way onto the roster. The Chiefs would clear $5 million by cutting Fulton, but he brings a (somewhat) veteran presence to the secondary and could provide valuable depth. The Chiefs will also return a young former UDFA, Chris Roland-Wallace, who will also stake his claim at a Week 1 roster spot in Kansas City.
Who could emerge from the Chiefs' developmental pipeline?
The Chiefs love to keep a couple of young corners on the practice squad. Kevin Knowles and Melvin Smith were on the Chiefs' PS last season, but will have some competition from recent UDFA signings Bryce Phillips (Clark Phillips' younger brother) and Zelmar Vedder. While they may never find the field in Kansas City, the Chiefs have a knack for working with corners and will 100% hang onto 1-2 of these young players on the practice squad early in 2026.
Projecting the Chiefs' final cornerback depth chart
As of today, the Chiefs have just two 100 percent locks for the day-one roster: Mansoor Delane and Nohl Williams. The young duo will headline the Chiefs' cornerback room as the starting boundary corners for 2026 and beyond. It is also likely safe to say that Jadon Canady will make the roster out of camp, but as a day three pick, you can never be absolutely sure.
With three spots taken, and five to six corner spots up for grabs, there will be a lot of competition in Kansas City this offseason. Given that Sneed knows the system and has had so much success in K.C. earlier in his career, I would give him a 90 percent chance to make the team. Sneed also provides a veteran presence and winning experience that no one else in the Kansas City secondary has.
This leaves just one or two spots up for grabs, and Fulton, Elam, Roland-Wallace, and Kohou will be quite the battle in camp. Because of his versatility and experience with the team, Roland-Wallace feels like the frontrunner here. With his ability to make an impact as an inside-out corner, as a deep safety, and on special teams, he will be valuable.
If Elam or Fulton perform well in camp, the Chiefs could use a sixth roster spot on a corner, especially with Roland-Wallace's safety versatility. Fulton is likely the frontrunner here, but if the Chiefs need to save money, I suspect they will lean toward Elam. Kohou would provide great depth as a slot corner, but with Sneed, Canady, and Roland-Wallace all being able to play in the nickel, he has an uphill battle this offseason.
Regardless of how the opening roster pans out, the Chiefs have completely retooled their secondary after suffering some major blows this offseason. They have brought in young talent through the draft, athleticism in free agency, and now, veteran leadership with the signing of Sneed. While the secondary will have a lot of new faces, do not expect a major step back from the Kansas City cornerback room in 2026; they have a lot of talent to work with.
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