Steve Spagnuolo on Chiefs’ CB Play, Why KC ‘Can’t Afford’ Another Injury

Steve Spagnuolo assessed the job Joshua Williams did in Week 9, also explaining why the Chiefs desperately need to stay healthy at the cornerback spot.

Nov 4, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving (7) runs the ball against Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams (2) during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

For the most part, the Kansas City Chiefs' defense has been one of football's better units this season. Week 9's triumph over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers saw Steve Spagnuolo's group stumble a bit, but they've earned the benefit of the doubt over the last couple of years.

One major obstacle standing in their way, however, is cornerback Jaylen Watson's ankle injury. As he remains on the injured reserve list and is expected to miss an extended period of time, someone else in the secondary must step up for the reigning champs. Due to Nazeeh Johnson's concussion, Monday saw Joshua Williams get the nod as the primary starter opposite Trent McDuffie.

The results were mixed, but how did the team feel Williams performed? Spagnuolo briefly tipped his cap to the third-year cornerback this week but acknowledged that there's plenty of room to improve.

"I thought Josh was solid," Spagnuolo said. "There are some things we've got to get better [on], and we'll see where we go from here."

Williams was inconsistent in coverage against the Buccaneers, and advanced stats reflect that. Pro Football Focus gave the former fourth-round pick a 51.6 defense grade for Week 9, although his 62.1 coverage mark was his best since Week 1. While he did get credited with a missed tackle and a pair of receptions given up (and a horse collar tackle), he wasn't a glaring weak spot in the Kansas City defense. All things considered, the Chiefs will probably take that. The uncertainty he brings, though, is far from ideal.

As Joshua Brisco of Kansas City Chiefs On SI recently highlighted, Williams played all 55 defensive snaps versus Tampa Bay. If Johnson misses additional time, that trend very well could continue. Luckily for the Chiefs, Johnson has been a full participant during practice this week and is tracking for a Sunday return to the lineup. Not only does that give the coaching staff more versatility, but it injects depth back into a secondary that desperately needs it.

Spagnuolo knows that if even one more corner gets hurt, his team could be in serious trouble.

"I mean, you don't want any one position to get dinged like that," Spagnuolo said. "That's as important a position as there is in football, in my opinion. So, you know, the next guy's got to step in there. Josh did last week. We'll see where Nazeeh is at the end of the week. Keith Taylor's another guy we may have to get in there. We've got to mix and match them somehow and try to keep the other guys healthy, because we can't afford another injury back there."

At a certain point, the bubble has to burst if players keep going down. Kansas City was already there on the other side of the ball this year with receivers dropping like flies, prompting a move for DeAndre Hopkins. Now past the trade deadline, though, the team is likely stuck with what it has at cornerback. That means pieces like Johnson, Williams, Taylor and rookie Christian Roland-Wallace are becoming more and more important to the defense's success.

The ice Spagnuolo and Co. are skating on does seem a bit thin but with Johnson's expected return and Williams scraping by during his absence, they should live to see another day. That's been the theme of a tumultuous, yet somehow undefeated, Chiefs season.

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