Kansas City Chiefs safety Charmarri Conner has picked up where he left off last year.
When Conner was thrusted into action as a rookie down the stretch of the 2023 season due to multiple injuries in the secondary, he looked like a seasoned veteran right off the bat. Although he's listed as a safety, Conner's main role is as the nickel cornerback.
Conner recorded 36 tackles, one pass breakup and one interception last season. His versatility allows defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to move him around and have multiple assignments, similar to how former Chiefs defensive backs L'Jarius Sneed and Tyrann Mathieu were used.
Those are big shoes to fill, but that was the expectation for Conner entering 2024. Through three games, it's safe to say that he is meeting those expectations. During Sunday night's win over the Atlanta Falcons, Conner amassed 10 tackles, two passes defended and an interception (via the Chiefs' official X account).
Just the week previous against the Cincinnati Bengals, Conner recorded six tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery in which he returned for a touchdown. He played a season high number of defensive snaps against Atlanta with 50 and is still getting a lot of snaps on special teams.
A strong argument could be made that the Chiefs lose to the Bengals and Falcons without Conner. His ability to play well against both the run and pass as well as blitzing the quarterback makes him perhaps the second most important piece of Kansas City's secondary behind Trent McDuffie. Conner will have another chance at a big game against a hurting Los Angeles Chargers team in Week 4.
