Getty Kansas City Chiefs veteran cornerback Kelvin Joseph began his NFL career as a second-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys.
With the Kansas City Chiefs 2024 preseason period over, the next big event of the NFL offseason is just around the corner and that is, of course, cutdown day.
The Chiefs have some big decisions to make in August, but the toughest choice could come at the cornerback position. After trading for star cornerback Rujarius Snead this spring, Kansas City has a de facto open competition behind Trent McDuffie.
The results were…confusing.
Between recent draft picks, UDFA acquisitions and rebuilding projects, the Chiefs have had their ups and downs at cornerback this summer, and while there have been some disappointments across the board, the return of veteran Kelvin Joseph has been one of the more positive developments.
“The fact that Joseph faced Jalen Watson (in the preseason finale) speaks volumes about how defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo feels about Joseph,” Arrowhead Pride reporter Pete Sweeney wrote after the Warriors' summer finale against the Chicago Bears.
Media members cited Joseph as one of three “impressed” players competing for a roster spot, which was only part of the reason Spagnuolo chose to start Joseph over McDuffie, Joshua Williams and Najee Johnson.
“The former Dallas Cowboys second-round draft pick got the job done down the right sideline, intercepting a one-on-one pass against wide receiver Nsimba Webster,” Sweeney later continued. “Joseph finished the game with a pass interception and five tackles on the day.”
He also noted that the Chiefs likely will need to keep six cornerbacks given the injury status of Johnson and Williams, and Joseph appears to be trending toward being the selection.
Chiefs writer predicts former Cowboys second-round pick Kelvin Joseph to make the 53-man roster over two KC draft picks
Sweeney wasn't the only one to notice Joseph's emergence over the summer. In his post-game 53-man roster projections, KSHB41 reporter Nick Jacobs projected the former Cowboys prospect to join the team as the fifth cornerback behind McDuffie, Johnson, Watson and Williams.
Jacobs then added a sixth cornerback to the roster, along with veteran return project Keith Taylor, and waived recent late draft picks Nick Jones and Kamal Hadden during that time, though Jacobs expects both to join the Chiefs' practice squad once they clear waivers.
“It was interesting to hear defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo mention Keith Taylor ahead of the final preseason game,” a KC media source explained. “He certainly ran some routes better than the receivers he was covering in the final game, and one of those efforts led to his interception.”
“Among the veterans available on waivers, the cornerback position is worth monitoring,” Jacobs concluded, suggesting Taylor's CB6 position may not be safe despite the initial vote of confidence.
It's unclear which Chiefs cornerback will start opposite Trent McDuffie.
Williams, Johnson and Watson were always expected to be the main contenders for the starting spot opposite McDuffie, and keep in mind the Chiefs would prefer not to rotate cornerbacks during games if they can avoid it.
Those three are still the candidates to be the Week 1 starters, but don't discount Joseph as a dark horse candidate.
All four have battled some sort of nagging injury during training camp and the preseason, and each has had their moments of brilliance.
Assuming safety Chamari Conner starts in the slot more often than not, that leaves one key position to consider. It will be interesting to see which cornerback makes the biggest impact through the 2024 season, or if the Chiefs end up regretting the day they traded Snead to the Tennessee Titans.
Michael Obermueller began covering and writing for Heavy.com in 2021, covering the NFL and NHL. His specialties include the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers, Miami Dolphins, New York Rangers and New York Islanders. A native of New York City, Obermueller graduated from Quinnipiac University. Past articles include FanDuel's The Duel, King Fantasy Sports and Pro Football Mania. Learn more about Michael Obermueller
