The Chiefs currently have 19 defensive backs on the roster heading into training camp
Jul 20, 2026 at 11:53 AM
Training camp for the Kansas City Chiefs is right around the corner, and with the annual trek to St. Joseph nearly here, we're examining every position group on the roster heading into camp.
Here's a look at what we've covered so far: QB | RB | WR | TE | OL | DL | LB
We'll wrap up this series with the defensive back group, where the Chiefs currently employ 19 players. Let's take a look at each, grouped by safeties and cornerbacks.
Safeties
Let's break down the Chiefs' seven primary safeties currently on the roster, beginning with the three players likely to log significant contributions in Chamarri Conner, Jaden Hicks and Alohi Gilman. The rest of the Chiefs' safeties are then sorted alphabetically.
Chamarri Conner
The Chiefs' leader in defensive snaps played last season with 1,022, Conner – while technically a safety – was once again Kansas City's primary slot corner in 2025.
He logged 391 snaps over the slot and another 405 snaps in the box last year, while his 234 snaps in slot coverage led the team.
This marked Conner's second-straight year leading Kansas City in the latter category following the trade that sent cornerback L'Jarius Sneed to Tennessee, and consequently, bounced cornerback Trent McDuffie from the slot to a primarily outside role ahead of the 2024 season.
What remains to be seen is if Conner will man that role once again in 2026, or if the abundance of slot-centric defensive backs on the roster – notably, Chris Roland-Wallace, Kader Kohou and Jadon Canady – will shift Conner to more of a traditional safety role.
Either way, Conner remains a valuable and versatile member of Kansas City's secondary, particularly considering the significant changes that took place throughout the defensive back room this offseason.
Jaden Hicks
Now entering his third season in the NFL, Hicks – a fourth-round pick in the 2024 Draft – will have an opportunity to potentially snag a starting role in 2026.
He logged 445 defensive snaps a year ago, lining up primarily as a box safety (228 snaps).
Hicks was once again a significant contributor on special teams last year, too, logging 308 special teams' snaps – the second-most on the team – after leading Kansas City in that category in 2024.
Depending on fellow safety Chamarri Conner's usage, which has largely been as a slot defender over the last two years, Hicks figures to be in a three-man rotation at safety with Conner and Alohi Gillman. A strong camp could solidify, or even enhance, that role.
Alohi Gilman
One of the Chiefs' primary veteran free agent additions this offseason, Gilman appeared in 17 games last year between the Chargers and Ravens.
He started five games for Los Angeles to begin the 2025 season before being traded to Baltimore, where he went on to start the Ravens' final 12 games. In total, he finished last season with 90 tackles, nine passes defensed, a forced fumble and a defensive touchdown.
Prior to last year, Gilman spent the first five seasons of his career with Los Angeles, appearing in 68 games (with 34 starts).
A versatile player, Gilman has primarily lined up as a free safety during his career, logging 543 snaps at that spot last season. He possesses the versatility to play all over the secondary, however, and he did so in 2025, recording 314 snaps in the box, 106 snaps as a slot corner, 49 snaps on the line of scrimmage and 14 snaps as a wide corner.
His flexible skillset should provide Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo with a valuable chess piece as the Chiefs rework their secondary in 2026.
Tanner McCalister
A "Reserve/Future" signee back in February, the 26-year-old McCalister returns to Kansas City after spending the last three weeks of the season on the Chiefs' practice squad. Originally an undrafted free agent signee of the Cleveland Browns in 2023, McCalister has appeared in six career regular-season games, doing so most recently with the Denver Broncos in 2024.
A former cornerback who made the transition to safety in 2020 while at Oklahoma State, McCalister transferred to Ohio State for his final collegiate season and excelled as a slot safety, leading the Buckeyes in interceptions with three. Here's more from The Athletic's Dane Brugler in his 2023 pre-draft guide:
"Hyper-alert in coverage, McCalister moves like a former corner with terrific footwork/fluidity to transition from his pedal and defend multiple routes. He strikes with timing and authority but must fine-tune his tackling angles and techniques."
Xavier Nwankpa
An undrafted free agent signee, Nwankpa – the No. 1 recruit in the state of Iowa during the 2022 recruiting cycle – remained close to home and spent his collegiate career with the Hawkeyes, where he went on to play in 52 games (with 36 starts) over four seasons. He recorded 171 tackles, seven passes defensed, three interceptions, three tackles-for-loss, two forced fumbles and a sack in that time.
The 6-foot-2, 208-pound Nwankpa possesses an impressive blend of size, length and speed, as exemplified by his 4.48 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Additionally, Nwankpa's experience on special teams – which included 466 snaps at Iowa – could play a role in his pursuit of a 53-man roster spot in August.
DeShon Singleton
A rookie free agent signee, Singleton – an alum of nearby Hutchinson Community College – went on to spend the last four seasons at Nebraska. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Singleton appeared in 42 games (with 30 starts) during his time with the Cornhuskers, tallying 163 tackles, 11 passes defensed, 7.5 tackles-for-loss and three interceptions.
He ended his career in Lincoln on a high note, too, by leading Nebraska in passes defensed (6) and interceptions (2).
The Athletic's Dane Brugler projected Singleton to hear his name called sometime in the fifth or sixth round, but despite not getting drafted, his journey will now continue in Kansas City.
Cornerbacks
Next, here's a look at the 12 cornerbacks currently on the Chiefs' roster heading into camp. We'll begin with the trio of Nohl Williams, Kristian Fulton and Mansoor Delane before proceeding alphabetically.
Nohl Williams
A bright spot at the end of last season, Williams – the No. 85 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft – tallied at least 40 snaps in each of the Chiefs' final five games last year.
He was impressive, too, and showed clear growth throughout that time, setting the stage for a potential starting role in 2026 with a strong camp.
Looking at his collegiate career, Williams recorded an FBS-most seven interceptions in 2024, which included a 40-yard pick-six. His 16 passes defensed led the ACC.
It was a fitting exclamation point on a tremendous tenure that was characterized by taking the football away, as Williams' 14 total interceptions as a college player ranked second in the 2025 draft class. He also notched two fumble recoveries for touchdowns in 2023.
He was durable, too, as evidenced by his 50 career starts. Additionally, Williams was considered one of the top run-defenders among cornerbacks in the 2025 class.
With that background and his strong showing at the end of last season all in mind, Williams figures to be a key member of the Chiefs' new-look secondary in 2026.
Kristian Fulton
One of the Chiefs' marquee free agent signees from a year ago, Fulton showed what he could do over the final three weeks of last season, logging more than 60% of the defensive snaps in each contest while playing quite well. Over his final two games, for example, Fulton allowed just two catches on 10 targets.
Prior to joining the Chiefs, Fulton recorded seven passes defensed and an interception in 15 games with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024.
Additionally, among players with at least 750 total snaps, Pro Football Focus ranked Fulton as the No. 15 cornerback in the NFL that year. Notably, among that group of players, Fulton also ranked eighth in terms of his run-defense.
With last year's final stretch of games as a solid foundation to build from, Fulton will have a chance to resume the form he demonstrated in 2024.
Mansoor Delane
A unanimous All-American at LSU last season, Kansas City made Delane the No. 6 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft earlier this year.
The 22-year-old Delane tallied13 passes defensed and two interceptions while allowing just 14 catches on 357 coverage snaps last year, and in terms of the advanced metrics, Pro Football Focus ranked him as the second-best coverage cornerback in the FBS (among corners with at least 350 coverage snaps).
It's worth adding that he did all of that despite battling a core muscle injury for much of the season.
Additionally, Delane's stellar campaign in 2025 can be summed up by the simple fact that he yielded zero touchdowns without committing a single penalty.
Among cornerbacks with at least 350 coverage snaps last season, Delane was one of just 18 to not allow a single touchdown, and of that group, Delane was one of only two players to also not commit a penalty all year. He was also durable throughout his collegiate career, starting 40 games – and logging more than 2,400 snaps – over the last four seasons.
It's all to say that Delane will have every opportunity to earn a starting role in 2026.
Jadon Canady
The No. 109 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the 22-year-old Canady was outstanding for the Oregon Ducks last season, yielding just 17 catches for 104 yards on 344 coverage snaps (37 targets). As it turned out, those 104 yards were the fewest allowed by any cornerback in this year's class.
Additionally, Canady surrendered just five first-down catches all of last season, which led all Power 4 cornerbacks (among those with at least 30 targets in 2025).
Remarkably, the player who ranked second on that list – with just seven first-down receptions allowed – was Canady's new teammate in Chiefs' first-round pick Mansoor Delane.
The 5-foot-10, 182-pound Canady manned a variety of roles during his five-year collegiate career, but looking at last year specifically, he particularly excelled as a slot cornerback, where he played 346 of 603 defensive snaps. With all of that in mind, it's reasonable to assume that the slot is where he'll initially work in Kansas City's defense.
Kaiir Elam
The No. 23 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Elam went on to play three seasons in Buffalo, logging six passes defensed, three tackles-for-loss and two interceptions in 29 games.
Buffalo then traded Elam to the Cowboys ahead of the 2025 campaign, where he went on to appear in 10 games (with seven starts). Dallas later waived Elam in late November, leading to a four-game tenure with the Titans.
In total, Elam racked up 33 tackles, two passes defensed, two fumble recoveries and a tackle-for-loss in 14 games last year.
The 6-foot-1, 191-pound Elam has largely taken the field as a wide corner during his career, doing so on 1,518 of his 1,675 career defensive snaps (91%). Looking at last season, specifically, Elam lined up out wide on 475 of his 536 defensive snaps (89%).
Simply put, Elam has extensive experience as an outside corner during his four-year career.
Kevin Knowles
An undrafted free agent signee from a year ago, Knowles appeared in 13 games for Kansas City last season, doing so primarily on special teams. In fact, his 231 special teams snaps ranked seventh on the team. He earned an opportunity to log some defensive plays as the season went on, too, logging 77 snaps over the Chiefs' final five games.
Prior to joining the Chiefs, Knowles was starter at nickelback at Florida State in 2024, tallying 32 tackles, four pass-breakups, two tackles-for-loss and a sack in 12 games.
It's also worth mentioning that the 5-foot-10, 189-pound Knowles recorded a 41-inch vertical jump at his pro day last year that would have led all cornerbacks at the NFL Scouting Combine.
His continued development as a potential slot corner and ace special teamer will be something to watch in camp.
D'Arco Perkins-McAllister
A rookie free agent signee, Perkins-McAllister spent two seasons at TCU before transferring to New Mexico for the 2023 campaign, followed by a season at UT-Chattanooga in 2024.
He then wrapped up his time in college at Louisiana-Monroe, where he allowed a completion percentage of 56% on 43 targets in 11 games (10 starts).
A long corner, Perkins-McAllister stands at six-foot-tall and 200 pounds. He was primarily a wide cornerback during his time in college, but he also logged experience in the slot last season.
Bryce Phillips
Another undrafted free agent signee, Phillips was a two-year starter at San Diego State, where he was on the field for at least 700 defensive snaps (and 350 coverage snaps) in each of the last two seasons. He recorded seven pass-breakups and two interceptions in that time.
Primarily a wide cornerback for the Aztecs, the 5-foot-11, 202-pound Phillips began his career at Tennessee State, where he played for two seasons from 2022-23.
Christian Roland-Wallace
Roland-Wallace, who joined the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent signee in 2024, has appeared in 28 games (with four starts) over the past two seasons.
A significant contributor on special teams during that time, Roland-Wallace – who played 61% of the Chiefs' special teams' snaps in 2025 – has also carved out a role on defense with Kansas City. Specifically, Roland-Wallace recorded double-digit defensive snaps in nine games last season, and while doing so, he demonstrated the ability to handle a variety of roles.
Looking at his usage last year, Roland-Wallace logged 65 snaps in the box, 60 snaps as a free safety and 56 snaps covering the slot. That versatility – specifically his ability to handle the slot – makes Roland-Wallace a prime candidate to earn an even larger role in 2026.
Melvin Smith Jr.
An undrafted free agent signee from a year ago, Smith spent last season on the Chiefs' practice squad.
Prior to joining the Chiefs, Smith was a four-year starter at Southern Arkansas where he racked up 168 tackles, 46 passes defensed, nine interceptions and 6.5 tackles-for-loss in 45 career games. He was particularly productive over the course of his final two years in school, which included 35 passes defensed and nine picks in just 23 games.
Additionally, Smith – who ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at his pro day last year – routinely demonstrated his speed during his career with a 100-yard pick-six in 2023, and a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in 2024.
L'Jarius Sneed
Sneed returns for his second stint with the Chiefs after spending the last two seasons with the Tennessee Titans.
A fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Sneed established himself as one of the top cornerbacks in all of football during his four years in Kansas City while playing a critical role in the Chiefs' run to back-to-back Super Bowl championships in 2022 and 2023.
Notably, Sneed didn't allow a single touchdown during the regular season in 2023, doing so across 600 coverage snaps. He then turned in perhaps the play of the year when he forced a fumble at the goal line in the AFC Championship Game, helping to preserve a Chiefs' victory and a spot in Super Bowl LVIII.
Sneed dealt with injuries during his time in Tennessee, but now back in Kansas City, he has a chance to pick right back up where he left off as a member of Steve Spagnuolo's defense.
Kader Kohou
A veteran free agent addition this offseason, Kohou appeared in 47 games (with 38 starts) for the Dolphins from 2022 through 2024 before missing the entirety of the 2025 campaign due to a knee injury suffered during training camp.
It was a stroke of bad luck for Kohou, who recorded exactly 10 passes defensed in both 2022 and 2023, becoming one of just 20 players across the league to do so during that timeframe.
Kohou then followed that collective performance with another strong season in 2024, tallying eight pass-breakups while ranking sixth in the NFL in yards allowed-per-coverage snap.
The 5-foot-10, 197-pound Kohou has mainly played over the slot during his career, doing so on 453 of his 708 defensive snaps in 2024. He covered the slot on 601 of his 937 defensive snaps the season prior, and on 482 of his 895 defensive snaps in 2022.
Considering how Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo likes to utilize his slot corners as blitzers, it's also worth mentioning that Kohou has experience in that regard. He recorded at least 15 pass-rush snaps in each of his three healthy seasons, logging 11 total pressures.
Zelmar Vedder
A rookie free agent signee, the six-foot-tall, 192-pound Vedder began his colligate career at Modesto Junior College in 2021 before transferring to Sacramento State ahead of the 2022 campaign, where he went on to play two seasons. He saw plenty of action during his second season with the Hornets specifically, tallying six pass-breakups and an interception across 605 defensive snaps.
Vedder then transferred to Houston for his final season at the collegiate level, where he tallied six pass-breakups on 205 coverage snaps.
The Bottom Line
The Chiefs kept just nine defensive backs last year, breaking the precedent of rostering exactly 10 defensive backs in each of the six seasons prior. That group was then subdivided into five corners and four safeties, although some players – such as Chris Roland-Wallace and Chamarri Conner – manned hybrid roles.
Interestingly enough, four of the nine defensive backs who made the roster last season are no longer on the team as Kansas City re-makes its secondary.
So, with all of that in mind, it's reasonable to assume that Mansoor Delane, Nohl Williams, Kristian Fulton and L'Jarius Sneed are all likely bets to make the roster at cornerback, while Chamarri Conner, Alohi Gilman and Jaden Hicks will each land a roster spot at safety. That then leaves two to three spots for the other 12 players on the roster.
Chris Roland-Wallace seems likely to snag one of those spots due to his experience and versatility, while Jadon Canady's potential and status as a fourth-round pick suggests he's a virtual lock, too.
If that chalk all holds, the remaining 10 players on the roster – notably Kader Kohou, Kaiir Elam, and Kevin Knowles – will potentially compete for one roster spot.
That roster math could all change, too, as camp begins to play out, but in contrast to the national perception concerning the Chiefs' secondary, this group – while donning a new look – if rife with talent. The growth of this unit, in addition to the competition at the backend, will be one of the top stories to follow up in St. Joseph.