Andy Reid Outlines Chiefs' Early Plan for New CB Pickup Steven Nelson

With Steven Nelson officially in the fold, Andy Reid discussed what the Kansas City Chiefs plan to do with him in the coming days as he gets acclimated.

Nov 24, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid walks off the field after the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Ahead of their Week 15 game against the Cleveland Browns, the cornerback position remains a critical piece of the puzzle for the Kansas City Chiefs. It's also a question that might still need to be answered, even with Joshua Williams returning to full participation in practice to kick off the week.

Could Steven Nelson be a part of the equation now that he's officially signed with the team? Not so fast. Speaking to the media on Wednesday, head coach Andy Reid said Kansas City plans to ease Nelson into action.

With that in mind, Nelson won't be making his debut on Sunday in Ohio.

“Let him get himself in shape [and] move around a little bit," Reid said. "You won’t see him this week, that’s not what we’re going to do. It’ll be like the other guys that came in – give them a chance to kind of get their feet under them, for sure. He hasn’t done anything up to this point, so let him get moving around.”

This ramp-up period is similar to what the Chiefs have implemented with other veteran pickups. Earlier in the season, running back Kareem Hunt joined the practice squad and was inactive for his first eligible game to play. Offensive tackle D.J. Humphries, who got hurt in his season debut in Week 14, sat out multiple games before finally getting thrown into the fire. This is a case-by-case deal – wideout DeAndre Hopkins and pass rusher Joshua Uche got going quicker – but it's no surprise to see the reigning Super Bowl champs exercise some caution.

That's especially true considering Nelson's specific circumstances. Not only is he on the wrong side of 30 years old, but he was retired for most of the offseason and almost all of the regular season. Despite leaving the door open for a return and seemingly staying in shape, that's a whole different ballpark compared to being ready to suit up in a game.

It also remains to be seen what will be asked of Nelson in his second stint in Kansas City. On one hand, Williams's ceiling can make him a passable No. 2 corner down the stretch. With that said, he also experiences some rough patches and Nazeeh Johnson isn't a world-beater even after getting demoted on the depth chart. Is it reasonable to expect Nelson to push for that level of playing time? With the aforementioned context and him being on the practice squad, of course not. It isn't crazy to leave that path on the table, though.

With a fast run of games coming up, the Chiefs will attempt to get Nelson acclimated on the fly. Perhaps December 21's game against the Houston Texans or a Christmas Day matchup versus the Pittsburgh Steelers – both teams Nelson has played for – is more likely.

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