Chiefs Claim CB Eric Scott off Waivers: What Does Move Mean for KC's Secondary?

Kansas City picked up a new cornerback on Wednesday, which could have a ripple effect on the club's post-cutdown roster.

Jul 27, 2023; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys cornerback Eric Scott (37) during training camp at Marriott Residence Inn-River Ridge Playing Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

While the NFL's mandatory roster cutdown deadline might be a thing of the past, all 32 teams are still hard at work finding ways to improve their respective outlooks for the 2024-25 season. The Kansas City Chiefs are no different, and general manager Brett Veach added a new cornerback into the mix on Wednesday morning.

According to the daily transaction wire, Kansas City claimed now-former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Eric Scott Jr. from the waiver wire. As a waiver pickup, the 26-year-old will go directly to the 53-man roster and require a corresponding move to be made once officially processed.

Scott, a 2023 NFL Draft pick, went 178th overall in the sixth round to Dallas. Ironically, that was a pick the Cowboys received from the Chiefs via an in-draft trade. Kansas City got their man after all, though, following a bit of a wait. Scott didn't appear in any games during his rookie campaign but enjoyed a productive preseason for the reigning NFC East champs.

And now he gets to play for the Hometown team. https://t.co/EN4m1pHxEx

— Harold R. Kuntz (@HaroldRKuntz3) August 28, 2024

Scott, a Kansas native, ended up attending Butler before arriving at Southern Mississippi as a junior in 2020. Playing three seasons with the Golden Eagles, he amassed 78 total tackles in 34 games with five interceptions. During his final collegiate campaign, he logged five passes broken up and scored the only two touchdowns of his career. He also had two tackles for loss.

Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 204 pounds, Scott has the requisite size to thrive as a cornerback in the NFL. He tested well with tremendous vertical and broad jump numbers during the pre-draft process, too, which helps his case. The Basehor-Lindwood product recorded a sparkling 8.69 Relative Athletic Score, although a 4.71-second 40-yard dash time was quite poor. The jury is still out Scott's quickness, as he also struggled in the 10- and 20-yard splits.

The Chiefs carried six cornerbacks on the initial 53-man roster: Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Joshua Williams, Nazeeh Johnson, Nic Jones and Chris Roland-Wallace (who is a hybrid safety piece). With the addition of Scott, who surrendered just a 53.2 passer rating when targeted this preseason, there's reason to imply that one of Jones or Roland-Wallace could soon fall victim to the aforementioned corresponding move. Kansas City will continue to shuffle its roster as Week 1's game against the Baltimore Ravens approaches.

In the meantime, it's a feel-good story as the month of August comes to a close and one that sees Scott look to make an impact on his second NFL club.

Read More: Kansas City Chiefs Practice Squad Tracker