With L’Jarius Sneed now a member of the Tennessee Titans and Justin Reid missing time with a quad injury, things look a bit different in the Kansas City Chiefs’ secondary at training camp.
Most of the personnel remains the same, but how those players could be unleashed remains intriguing. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and defensive backs coach Dave Merritt have their hands full playing musical chairs with a variety of talents. Second-year safety Chamarri Conner is one of them, as he played a big role down the stretch of the 2023 campaign but has Bryan Cook’s return potentially impacting his workload as a sophomore.
With that said, versatility was one of the main selling points for Conner last season. It could turn out to be his saving grace this year. Speaking to the media after practice on Monday, the former fourth-round pick talked about how camp has gone thus far.
“It’s just been great,” Conner said. “A long process, definitely, learning all of the different spots [and] all of the different positions, but it’s definitely been great. I’ve been getting a lot of help from the guys, even since last year, I’ve been getting a lot of help from the older safeties [while] training at the nickel spot. It’s been great.”
Because of Sneed’s departure, it’s assumed that 2022 first-round selection Trent McDuffie will spend more time on the outside. A boundary role could allow the All-Pro to shadow opposing No. 1 wideouts, although Spagnuolo believes it’s more of a case-by-case evaluation. If McDuffie does end up freeing up slot reps, that’s where Conner’s expertise would come into play.
Originally recruited as a nickel safety, Conner has experience in that role dating all the way back to high school. He said with things slowing down in his second NFL training camp, he’s looked to McDuffie for tidbits on operating from the slot. After being exposed to it as a rookie, he thinks his comfort level is in a good space as the regular season draws near.
“I’m very comfortable at the nickel spot,” Conner said. “I’ve been playing it since high school. I just had to get back into it, but I’m definitely very comfortable there.”
By just turning on Conner’s 2023 tape, one will immediately notice how he served as a jack-of-all-trades for the Kansas City defense. In addition to lining up 113 times as a traditional free safety, he had 109 slot snaps mixed in with 64 in the box and 17 along the defensive line. Conner’s ability to provide rangy coverage on the back end, play a physical brand of football closer to the action or blitz around the edge was huge for the Chiefs en route to Super Bowl LVIII.
As previously mentioned, Cook coming back from an ankle injury doesn’t leave as many traditional safety snaps. McDuffie’s role – as well as both Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams being boundary options by trade – may present an ideal opportunity for Conner. Having interchangeable pieces, especially once Reid returns, will make the defense even more dangerous.
It’s not official, but a lot of signs seem to indicate that Conner’s slot/nickel workload won’t go away once the Chiefs need an extra defensive back. If that’s the case, he’s ready to keep making plays.
“I feel like the nickel spot, in a lot of defenses, is the playmaker spot,” Conner said. “A guy who can be versatile and do a lot of different jobs. I think that’s a good spot for me.”
