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2020 KC Chiefs Roster Analysis - The Cornerbacks


KC_Guy

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Got to start somewhere … so here we go with the Cornerbacks:

An Overview:

The Chiefs managed the (nearly) unfathomable: They played the season with a full contingent of SEVEN cornerbacks (incl. IR'ed Keith Reaser) for less than 10 M$ in cap. Initially considered the by far weakest unit on the team they got into a groove, in part due to the support of an excellent safety unit. Now the three highest paid guys have reached the end of their contracts. However, the remaining four provide a solid base to work from. Some additions are required, and the question is whether the Chiefs are willing to spend big(ger) or approach the next season again with a patchwork of short term, "prove it" deals.

The Players:

Bashaud Breeland, Kendall Fuller and Mo Claiborne will be Unrestricted Free Agents at season's end. All played solid albeit unspectacular football all year with some ups and downs. I think it will be a monetary question if they return. The most likely I see right now is Kendall Fuller, who towards the end of season played in a hybrid CB/S role. We'll see if this even expands now that Thornhill is out for the rest of the year. His versatility is a good match to the wild mix of formations and roles throughout the Chiefs' back end under Spagnuolo and will probably be hard to be replaced. Breeland and Claiborne may be looking for more lucrative deals than the Chiefs are willing (or able) to pay.

Charvarious Ward is entering the last year of his rookie deal. According to the stats he was one of the better CBs all year around. However, he also drew some costly penalties on pass interference, something he should focus on moving forward. But all said and done, he'll return for another year and as of now I see no reason why he shouldn't start again in 2020.

Rashad Fenton in his first season showed some promise. His injury unfortunately kept him off the field for a while, however, he should see some playing time in the playoffs. Not quite sure whether I would bet on him as a potential starter, but I'll pencil him in as a solid backup at minimum. If Fuller walks he may step into his place.

Keith Reaser went to IR early for the second time on the Chiefs roster after 2017. Highly touted after a promising season in the AAF, I consider it questionable he'll return after a torn Achilles.

Alex Brown is an absolute unknown to me who was signed from the practice squad when injury struck mid-season.

The Outlook:

With Ward, Fenton and (my guess) Fuller the Chiefs have a nucleus of cornerbacks to build around. I would expect at minimum one, potentially more low/mid budget veteran signings comparable to those of Breeland and Claiborne last year. Add a mid round draft pick plus the usual flurry of UDFAs and the Chiefs should be set to go forward, in particular considering the before mentioned mixing and mingling of safeties into CB roles.

Edited by KC_Guy
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For a budget minded group, they did very well. I would like to see Breeland back. Fuller, because of the extensive downtime is a bit more of a mystery. Claiborne is a journeyman who was once a Jerry Jones mistake. OK if the price is right. Ward, Fuller, Fenton, Breeland is a solid rotation even if Fuller plays a lot of FS.

I can see more of the same, with the Chiefs looking to get playmaking from the safeties. We don't know when Thornhill will be back, but  a nine month timetable puts him back on the sideline for Game #1, but probably not at true full speed.. If so, and assuming he works back to form in half a season, we should be set for playoffs next year. 

That said, I can also see spending our top pick for a plug and play CB. It would make for a very different secondary, but that is not all bad.

J

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On 1/7/2020 at 12:48 PM, KC_Guy said:

Charvarious Ward is entering the last year of his rookie deal. According to the stats he was one of the better CBs all year around. However, he also drew some costly penalties on pass interference, something he should focus on moving forward. But all said and done, he'll return for another year and as of now I see no reason why he shouldn't start again in 2020.

I thought Ward was our weakest link. He was continually picked on by QB's.  In my last posted mock draft, I have the Chiefs picking Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford, to shore up the CB group. I'd relegate Ward to backup.

Edited by mayanfootball
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1 hour ago, mayanfootball said:

I thought Ward was our weakest link. He was continually picked on by QB's.  In my last posted mock draft, I have the Chiefs picking Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford, to shore up the CB group. I'd relegate Ward to backup.

I don't have PFF access, so I've got to go from what others said. He was picked on, yes, but held his own. He gave away some big yardage by DPI though (mentioned that above). He's in his second year, first year starting, so there definitely is room for development. But I don't consider him a liability.

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2 hours ago, KC_Guy said:

He gave away some big yardage by DPI though (mentioned that above).

Yes, and it was HUGE yardage mostly. And coming at inopportune times. He's also one to not turn his head and locate the ball. Sorry, but there's just too much to correct. It's better to cut our losses with this guy, ( let another team lose patience with trying to develope him) and just draft a better CB. This is a great CB draft.

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I do not envision Ward starting next year. I think he should start the offseason at #4 and, if he really improves, then maybe he gets a starting job. I think 2 corners are needed at least, and I agree with mayan here, CB should definitely be targeted in the draft if we can get good players where we pick

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3 hours ago, TedLavie said:

I do not envision Ward starting next year. I think he should start the offseason at #4 and, if he really improves, then maybe he gets a starting job. I think 2 corners are needed at least, and I agree with mayan here, CB should definitely be targeted in the draft if we can get good players where we pick

I see people saying that CB is deep in this class, but I'm not seeing it myself. The only way I see us going CB is if we reach and skip over clear BPA, which BPA is likely at other positions we need excluding LB.

I think Ward will be given the chance to start. He hasn't been perfect, but he hasn't been overall bad either.

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5 minutes ago, kingseanjohn said:
3 hours ago, TedLavie said:

 

I see people saying that CB is deep in this class, but I'm not seeing it myself.

Matt Miller, Bleacher Report, has good CB's going down to 4th rd., #134, Harrison Hand/Temple. That's pretty decent IMO. There may be others deeper as well.

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10 minutes ago, mayanfootball said:

Matt Miller, Bleacher Report, has good CB's going down to 4th rd., #134, Harrison Hand/Temple. That's pretty decent IMO. There may be others deeper as well.

Harrison Hand? I took a legit 10 minutes to find any film on him. Even then, I only found high school tape where he played RB. He's rated, at best, as the #50 CB when I've seen him rated at all.

I guess I should clarify my view. This class is deep at depth/role players at CB. But I really don't believe that we, at 29-32, will be finding a true #1 or maybe even #2 in this draft. Of course it's possible that a Richard Sherman type is in this class, but it's also highly unlikely.

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31 minutes ago, kingseanjohn said:

Harrison Hand? I took a legit 10 minutes to find any film on him. Even then, I only found high school tape where he played RB. He's rated, at best, as the #50 CB when I've seen him rated at all.

Yes, no tape. He's 6'0" 192lbs. Has 4TFL and 3INT's for 2019. I'm finding the "fanspeak" authors have a "view stats" button when you select players to preview. They will give you 10-15 min. of tape to review most times.

I like some CB's at our pick #31. Depending on the Mock author. However some of those CB's will be in the pool up to #50 like you stated. Those I consider NO.1 draft picks are, Jeffrey Okudah, Kristian Fulton, Trevon Diggs, CJ Henderson,  Bryce Hall,  and AJ Terrell.

Edited by mayanfootball
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  • 4 weeks later...

Snap counts from the Super Bowl. We had 58 defensive snaps. Thornhill would have changed this quite a bit. The other interesting one is Fuller. He played a lot of nickel and basically no true CB. Also note how much they trusted Fenton in the biggest of all games. 

Mathieu 58
Sorensen 58
Ward 57
Breeland 56
Fuller 32
Fenton 21
Watts 1

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5 hours ago, KC_Guy said:

After this I sincerely doubt Breeland will be back. He will outprice himself. If the Chiefs play it right we may look at a few precious comp picks in 2021.

Is sad. It's all about "me" with Breeland.  I'd let him walk. He's not a priority in my book. It's a deep CB draft upcoming. I also assume we'll look over the FA market

Edited by mayanfootball
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