Considering the Kansas City Chiefs’ homegrown depth at cornerback, there is no easy road for a newcomer like Kelvin Joseph at 2024 training camp. Despite that, the 24-year-old cast-off of the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks has not lost hope in his NFL future.
“I ain’t giving up 🙌🏽,” Joseph told his X followers on June 20.
The post came about a month ahead of the start of Chiefs camp — which will serve as yet another opportunity for the former second-round talent out of Kentucky.
Of course, making this KC roster will be difficult. Joseph flashed during spring activities after signing a reserve/future contract with the organization in January. But he faces an uphill battle.
The Chiefs have drafted nine defensive backs over the past three offseasons. Most of which have looked the part early in their respective careers.
That list includes CB prospects Trent McDuffie, Joshua Williams, Jaylen Watson, Nazeeh Johnson and Nic Jones as well as safeties Bryan Cook and Jaden Hicks, and tweeners Chamarri Conner and Kamal Hadden.
So, not only does Joseph have to learn a new system, but he must also beat out players that the Kansas City front office liked enough to draft. Having said that, perhaps the Chiefs liked Joseph enough to pick him back in 2021 — let’s say the Cowboys hadn’t.
There’s a reason general manager Brett Veach and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo took a flyer on the 6-foot-1 DB. He’s currently a dark horse to make the final 53 in 2024.
Looking Back at Kelvin Joseph’s NFL Journey So Far
After being selected 44th overall by the Cowboys, Joseph appeared in 29 outings over two seasons (including playoffs) — starting three of them. He has yet to intercept his first NFL pass but did register four pass defenses with Dallas, along with a fumble force and a recovery.
Pro Football Focus awarded Joseph a quality 73.0 coverage grade as a rookie, and the numbers back that up. The cornerback held pass-catchers to a low reception rate of 46.7% that year, with quarterback’s throwing for a 54.6 passer rating.
He did not allow a touchdown, nor was he often penalized (flagged once in 2021).
Joseph was also competent as a run defender and tackler early on with eight key defensive stops, one tackle for a loss and a missed tackle rate of 7.1%. Then in year two, most coverage areas took a nosedive.
The Cowboys prospect saw his passer rating against spike to 149.3 in 2022. He also allowed four touchdowns in coverage, 19.0 yards per reception compared to 7.0 as a rookie, and a higher reception rate in general at 66.7%.
Joseph’s coverage grade plummeted on PFF, as did Dallas’ confidence in him long-term. In the end, the Cowboys traded the once-promising CB for another struggling draft pick in Dolphins first rounder Noah Igbinoghene.
The trade proved to be a bust for both sides as neither team was able to fix their new reclamation project. Later, Joseph signed with the Seahawks practice squad but only factored in eight special teams snaps while he was in Seattle.
How Many Defensive Backs Will the Chiefs Keep in 2024?
Without L’Jarius Sneed on the roster, the Chiefs are expected to utilize a rotational effort to fill the void. McDuffie, Williams and Cook are locks to make the roster — and will likely start alongside veteran Justin Reid — but how many defensive backs will KC keep beyond those four?
Watson has proven himself in the past and is the current frontrunner to push Williams for a starting role. While Conner and Jones have been competing for the nickel role. Then there’s a staff favorite — and depth chart riser — in Johnson, and two brand new draft picks in Hicks and Hadden.
That’s 10 players already! And while the argument could be made that the Chiefs will keep 10 defensive backs this year, it’s hard to see them retaining more than that.
Along with Joseph, you have bubble and practice squad candidates like Ekow Boye-Doe, Deon Bush, Trey Dean, Keith Taylor and undrafted rookies Christian Roland-Wallace, D.J. Miller and Miles Battle competing for that final role on the 53 — if there is one.
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