There’s a lingering question in the Kansas City Chiefs’ secondary that hasn’t received much attention this offseason. Cornerback Kristian Fulton has been working his way back from what head coach Andy Reid described as a “clean-up” surgery this offseason. He opened training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list and has yet to participate through the first two weeks.

The regular season is still a month away, but there’s no clear timeline on when Fulton will return to action. Fortunately for the Chiefs, they have two viable starters on the outside in Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson.

Fulton’s absence is still a blow to the versatility of the defensive secondary. One of the key benefits of the Fulton signing was the option to move McDuffie into the slot, with Watson and Fulton manning the boundaries.

Kristian Fulton’s absence is raising real concerns about who will handle slot corner duties for the Chiefs.

With Fulton out of the lineup, there’s no clear answer for who’ll handle slot duties. So far in camp, the Chiefs have called defensive back Chamarri Conner’s number. He spent significant time there in 2024 (469 snaps), and the results were uninspiring. Conner received a 64.4 coverage grade from Pro Football Focus last year. He’s serviceable in a pinch in the slot, but he shouldn’t be asked to live there. That raises the question: if not Conner, who?

The alternative options are Nazeeh Johnson, Joshua Williams, and rookie Nohl Williams. That trio provides little reassurance. Johnson recorded a 51.2 coverage grade last season. Josh Williams had just four games in the first 11 weeks where he logged a snap share of at least 19 percent, andd it’s difficult to expect a rookie to take on such an important role to start the year. The Chiefs are going to have to compensate for slot vulnerability until Fulton returns to the lineup.

In the short term, Conner is likely the Chiefs’ most viable option in the slot. The scouting report on Conner coming out of Virginia Tech raised questions about foot speed and his tendency to take poor angles. These issues make it difficult for him to stay in phase with receivers, and false steps can be costly since he doesn’t have the quickness to recover.

I’m not convinced the Chiefs are looking for reinforcements to the room right now, but Kendall Fuller is an intriguing option if they want to add a veteran player experienced in Spagnuolo’s system. Fuller spent last season with the Miami Dolphins, where he was felled by a Week 16 knee injury in a matchup with the San Francisco 49ers. Kansas City should monitor his recovery if the Fulton timeline remains uncertain.

The Chiefs brought Kristian Fulton in to help elevate the secondary. As training camp wears on without him, the ripple effects of his absence are becoming harder to ignore. Without the six-year veteran, the team loses the ability to deploy Trent McDuffie in the slot — a key ingredient in Steve Spagnuolo’s best recipe.

If a reliable option doesn’t emerge soon, the Chiefs may have to get creative to patch the slot early in the season. Here’s hoping that Fulton’s recovery is on the horizon as the season approaches.