Steve Spagnuolo Discusses Options at Cornerback For Bashaud Breeland Suspension

The four-game suspension of Bashaud Breeland has forced the Kansas City Chiefs to reimagine its combination of cornerbacks to start the 2020 season.

The four-game suspension of Bashaud Breeland has forced the Kansas City Chiefs to reimagine its combination of cornerbacks to start the 2020 season.

Potential options to fill Breeland’s starting outside cornerback position include Rashad Fenton, Antonio Hamilton, L’Jarius Sneed, BoPete Keyes, Chris Lammons and Hakeem Bailey. Charvarious Ward is slated to continue starting at right corner.

Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo wasn’t prepared to name a starter to replace Breeland during a press conference with reporters on Monday but said it’s been something the Chiefs have had in mind for a while, as the Chiefs were reportedly aware of Breeland's pending suspension when they signed him to a one-year deal this offseason.

“No question, we would love to have Bashaud out there," Spagnuolo said. "There are two ways to look at it—I could say to you that it’s just like somebody getting hurt and you have to put the next guy in there, so part of that is true. The advantage we have is we know that quote, unquote, ‘that person’ is not going to be there, so we have some time to get ready. So, I’m glad we at least know what we’re faced with and we can get some guys mentally ready. Again, I will figure out who that’s going to be, we don’t have that figured out now, and we’ll try to shuffle things around. My guess is it may not just be one person, but we’ll see.”

Ward, Fenton and Lammons each had had experience with the Chiefs in 2019, with Ward being one of the team's starters and Fenton earning significant playing time. On top of Breeland, the room will be without now-Washington Football Team member Kendall Fuller.

The Chiefs brought in Hamilton, a former New York Giant, through free agency, while drafting Sneed and Keyes.

Spagnuolo has had the opportunity to see each of the newcomers perform in training camp, specifically focusing on the development of the rookies. He hasn’t seen much out of Keyes as he gets acclimated with the pro game as he returns from a fractured orbital bone.

“Bo, I don’t really have much on him because he hasn’t worked, and it’s just been conditioning more than anything else," Spagnuolo said. "L’Jarius has made some plays for us. I think he has a long way to go. Most corners in this league—that’s a tough position to step in and play. It’s funny you brought it up, I just leaned over to him in the stretch line at the end practice and I just told him that he needs to do everything faster, and I’m talking about from when the play ends to getting back in the huddle. These guys know how I am and part of this whole practice and Coach Reid wants it the same way, part of it is conditioning — and not having the offseason and all that. So, I’m trying to force that into them and kind of let them play. Sam Madison and Dave Merritt are doing a great job with it, but there’s a big learning curve there and we’ve got a long way to go.”

Now in the final two weeks of training camp, Spagnuolo said the focus is shifting to who can fill the hole of Breeland in Week 1 against the Houston Texans.

He didn’t mention any names of potential candidates and added there could be numerous players fulfill the role until Breeland is allowed to return against the Las Vegas Raiders on October 11.

“I think we have to attack it for the first game," Spagnuolo said. "We’ll take it one at a time like we always talk about. So, pretty quickly here it’s going to be all Houston Texans and we’ll have to find the person that’s going to get in there and replace Breezy. We’ve had it in the back of our minds just in case, so there will be some guys that hopefully will step up, and we’ll try some combinations of guys, too. And I wouldn’t be surprised when it’s all said and done if it’s more than one person that will fill that role.”