The Kansas City Chiefs made plenty of changes over the offseason without spending a lot of money in free agency. Even after reworking the contracts of Patrick Mahomes and Chris Jones to create some more breathing room, they still have to budget for a long-term extension for guard Trey Smith and to fill holes on a roster that got blown away by the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX.
The Chiefs believe they improved one of their deficiencies by adding cornerback Kristian Fulton in free agency. The former second-round pick by the Tennessee Titans is now on his third team in his career, but hopes to have found a long-term home in Kansas City after signing a two-year, $20 million contract.
While the deal may look like a bargain, it may be an overpay as the Chiefs are desperate to add depth to their secondary.
Chiefs Overpaid Kristian Fulton in Free Agency
Fulton was considered a steal when the Titans selected him in the 2020 NFL Draft due to a situation regarding a failed drug test during his time at LSU. The gamble didn’t pay off immediately, however, as he posted a 56.1 overall grade and a 54.7 grade in coverage in his rookie season, according to Pro Football Focus. Unfortunately, his rookie season was a sign of what was to come.
Fulton struggled in coverage, allowing a 101.4 passer rating during his rookie campaign, and has since allowed a passer rating over 100 in four of his five seasons. It’s also damning when only three quarterbacks have a higher passer rating than Fulton’s 103.2 allowed in coverage since entering the league, with those being Drew Brees (106.4), Brock Purdy (104.9) and Aaron Rodgers (103.3).
Turning opposing passers into Super Bowl and Hall of Fame quarterbacks isn’t a great sign for longevity, nor is being unable to tackle the receiver once they catch the ball.
Fulton ranked 48th among 128 qualifiers with an 11.9% tackle rate with the Los Angeles Chargers last season. Surprisingly, that number was a significant reduction from his 20.4% missed tackle rate with the Titans in 2023 and the 14.9% rate over his career.
Fulton also recorded a career-high 68.9 overall grade last season; however, it came with plenty of big plays allowed as he surrendered six touchdown passes. If this were a small sample size, it may be worth the risk, but the Chiefs may have just paid $10 million per season for a potential outlier year. Then again, they may not have had a choice.
Trent McDuffie remains locked in as the team’s top corner, but Jaylen Watson, Nazeeh Johnson, Joshua Williams, and third-round pick Nohl Williams are slated behind him. If Fulton can improve with a better infrastructure, perhaps last year’s breakout with the Chargers was a sign of what’s to come.
That’s an unlikely bet, though, and one that will see the Chiefs eventually admit they overpaid on a key free agent.
