There will be plenty of intense competition during Kansas City Chiefs training camp, which kicks off July 29.
A lot of spots are up for grabs after the Chiefs retooled a significant portion of their roster during the offseason. Training camp, along with the three preseason games, are where battles play out and roles get decided.
CB Battle Named Kansas City Chiefs’ Biggest Remaining Question Mark
GettyChiefs CB Nohl Williams
ESPN Chiefs beat writer Nate Taylor recently examined Kansas City’s outlook heading into training camp. Among the topics was identifying the team’s biggest remaining question mark. There are a lot of ways Taylor could have went with that, but he opted for how the new-look cornerback corps will shake out.
“The Chiefs have plenty of options at cornerback, which should make the competition in training camp fascinating. L’Jarius Sneed, who played his first four seasons with the Chiefs, rejoined the team during mandatory minicamp. Sneed will be battling against Kristian Fulton and Nohl Williams for likely the starting role opposite of rookie Mansoor Delane, their top draft pick. Even when the Chiefs use their nickel personnel, the player in the slot could be Chris Roland-Wallace, Kader Kohou or rookie Jadon Canady.”
After the Chiefs traded away Trent McDuffie and let Jaylen Watson walk (both going to the Los Angeles Rams), their cornerback room looked dire. However, they did an excellent job of rebuilding it. Kansas City selected a pair of CBs during the 2026 NFL Draft in Mansoor Delane (first round) and Jadon Canady (fourth round).
The Chiefs also addressed the position in free agency, acquiring Kader Kohou, Kaiier Elam, and L’Jarius Sneed. Elam is a low risk, potential high reward signing who had enough talent to be a first-round draft pick back in 2022. Sneed is a proven commodity in K.C.’s defense, having a stellar four-year run with the franchise to begin his career from 2020-2023.
How Will Chiefs’ CB Situation Pan Out?
GettyChiefs CB Mansoor Delane
The safest bet to start with is Delane being one of the two starting CBs right off the bat. The Chiefs didn’t select him with the No. 5 overall pick to be a backup. Delane will have McDuffie-like expectations to be a cornerstone piece of the defense over the next several years. If he turns out to be a disappointment, the secondary will be in big trouble.
Ideally, second-year player Nohl Williams will start opposite of Delane. Williams flashed as a rookie in 2025, and all signs point toward a breakout sophomore season. On 457 defensive snaps played, Williams recorded 48 total tackles (four for loss), seven passes defensed, and one sack. Delane and Williams could make for a dynamic young duo.
Sneed and Fulton appear to be wildcards. If healthy, both are talented enough to be starters. They would make for excellent depth and mentors for Delane and Williams, and the four would assemble one of the best CB corps in the NFL. However, Sneed has some lingering questions about his knee issues, and the Chiefs could look to trade Fulton for salary cap savings, especially if Sneed is healthy.
Chiefs’ ‘Biggest Question Mark’ Is a Good Problem to Have