Chiefs News 5/7: ESPN puts Chamarri Conner on the hot seat after draft

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - OCTOBER 27: Chamarri Conner #27 of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up prior to the game against the Washington Commanders at Arrowhead Stadium on October 27, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images) | Getty Images The latest 2026 NFL offseason: Veterans on the hot seat after the draft | ESPN Chamarri Conner, CB, Kansas City Chiefs The Chiefs’ penchant for developing defensive backs from outside the first round is well known (Juan Thornhill, Jaylen Watson, L’Jarius Sneed, Bryan Cook). They’ve tried to do the same in the slot over the past few seasons with Conner, a 2023 fourth-rounder out of Virginia Tech who became the starter in 2024 when Trent McDuffie bumped outside.

But over the past two seasons, Conner has surrendered 0. 11 EPA per target in the slot (11th worst among DBs with at least 50 slot targets) and a success rate of 53. 8% — only 2025 rookie Jacob Parrish was worse.

Conner simply does not make enough plays at the catch point to play a permanent coverage role. Enter Jadon Canady. Like Conner, Canady is a fourth-round pick who spent time at safety in the college ranks.

But his best play was in the slot, where he finished his career at Oregon. Canady had 19 passes defensed combined over his last two years and will — along with free agent signing Kader Kohou — immediately challenge for the slot job. Conner might not lose snaps so much as he could end up displaced into more traditional safety alignments; the Chiefs already started to do that last season.