Getty Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Rashad Fenton and safety Tyrann Mathieu.
With the departure of Charvarius Ward this offseason and the addition of first-round pick Trent McDuffie, the Kansas City Chiefs cornerback room is one to watch over the course of the preseason to see who rises to the top of the depth chart and who won’t make the cut.
Along with McDuffie, Kansas City drafted Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams. They also traded for former Houston Texans corner Lonnie Johnson. Add those players into a room that already has L’Jarius Sneed, Deandre Baker, and Chris Lammons, and it’s tough to determine every corner that will make the 53-man roster.
However, there’s one player in the cornerback room that is being dubbed a “secret superstar” and could be unlocked after three seasons of developing in Kansas City’s secondary:
Rashad Fenton.
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Fenton Named KC’s ‘Secret Superstar’
Sam Monson of PFF determined the “secret superstar” for each NFL team heading into the 2022 season and made Fenton the choice for the defending AFC West champions.
“Fenton was the Chiefs’ best-graded cornerback last season, and he now has three-straight NFL seasons with a PFF coverage grade of at least 74.4 to start his career,” Monson wrote. “Fenton allowed only one touchdown all season and gave up just 8.7 yards per reception from the 52 targets sent his way. The team allowed Charvarius Ward to leave in the offseason, opening up an opportunity for Fenton to step into a bigger role as an every-down player, something his play so far has earned.”
While it’s very possible that Fenton could be in line for a breakout season, it might take a bit for that to happen due to how he began training camp.
Fenton, along with offensive linemen Lucas Niang and Prince Tega Wanogho, and receiver Justyn Ross landed on the active/physically unable to perform list (PUP) on July 23. Ross would later be placed on injured reserve. Fenton started training camp sidelined due to a shoulder procedure he had during the offseason.
Luckily, because those players were placed on the PUP list during training camp, they are eligible to return whenever they are healthy enough to do so. But there has been no timeline given as to when they might return to action.
Fenton Excelled During 2021 Season in Reserve Role
Although he was not a “starter” for Kansas City, Fenton, 25, was exceptional during the 2021 season. He earned a 79.1 defensive grade from PFF for the season, which ranked No. 6 among all graded cornerbacks in the NFL. However, among the top-10 graded corners, Fenton played the fewest amount of defensive snaps (581).
Rashad Fenton replaces Sneed and makes the pick. (via @NFL)
Before the draft, Fenton was the presumed player that would earn an increased role and potentially be a starter this season for the Chiefs. However, now that Kansas City drafted McDuffie with a Day 1 draft pick, Fenton may see an increased role, but his chances of being a starter have gone down.
If Fenton’s injury rehab takes longer than expected and forces him to miss time a significant amount of time during training camp, that could also impact the chances of him having an increased role, specifically early in the season.