After trading away L'Jarius Sneed in the offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs had questions about the state of their cornerback room. They still had All-Pro Trent McDuffie, but there was more to be desired with the rest of the group. It was filled with players who have contributed in the past, but there was uncertainty about their ability to step into a full-time role and how it would shift the dynamic of a defense that was one of the best in the league in 2023.
Jaylen Watson has taken the second cornerback spot and has emerged as a valid starting-caliber player in his third season.
Watson missed most of the offseason program as he recovered from shoulder surgery. He got to play in the final preseason outing, but it was a rough one for him. However, that seemed to be enough to knock off the rust and hit the ground running when the regular season rolled around. Through the season's first four games, Watson has recorded five defensive stops, four pass breakups and a 72.7 passer rating when targeted. That allowed passer rating is in the top 20 cornerbacks with at least 175 defensive snaps this season – basically the top 20 of starters.
One of the best things that Watson has done is have ball production. The four pass breakups, which is sixth in the league, is only three off his career high in a season. Last year, the league leader in pass breakups had 17, which is the pace that Watson is on this year. Ball production is something that the Chiefs' cornerbacks have struggled with over the years, so Watson's ability to locate and make a play on the ball is a strength.
Part of the reason that the Chiefs' defense hit another level in late 2022 and throughout 2023 was the freedom given to Steve Spagnuolo to expand the playbook because of having two corners able to hold up in man coverage. Sneed and McDuffie were trusted on an island, allowing Spagnuolo to get creative with the looks of the remaining nine players on the field. Watson hasn't been and isn't expected to be Sneed, but the level he's played at gives Spagnuolo a similar ability to be exotic with his blitz and coverage packages.
When Spagnuolo decides to blitz, Watson has a timing advantage. He knows the ball will come out quickly, and he likely won't be forced to cover for over a few seconds. Therefore, he can press receivers at the line of scrimmage, using his length and strength to disrupt the offense's timing. Watson is his best in press-man situations because of those traits, so him becoming a more consistent and reliable player helps the defense keep the expanded playbook with blitz calls.
The Chiefs were never realistically going to be able to replace Sneed, who was arguably the best corner in the league last year. With that said, Watson's emergence has allowed them to maintain a similar feel on defense and keep the coverage strong in Kansas City.
A continued ascent for Watson over the course of the season can give the Chiefs one of the best cornerback duos in the league and something to lean on in high-leverage moments.
