Training camp rolls on, and the Kansas City Chiefs got some welcome good news on the injury front for one of their top draft picks. Mansoor Delane, a cornerback out of LSU and the No. 6 overall pick in April’s draft, suffered a shoulder injury in May that kept him out of minicamp and has limited him thus far in training camp.
A week ago, Delane returned to practice in pads, doing some seven-on-seven work with the team. He wasn’t cleared for contact, however, and wore a yellow non-contact jersey. This week was another big step in his return process, as Delane walked out on the practice field in full pads and a regular jersey, ditching the non-contact status he’d had up this point, per Matt Foster.
Delane didn’t play in the Chiefs’ preseason opener against the Rams at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday. It remains to be seen if he’ll suit up when the Chiefs travel to Tampa Bay this coming Saturday for their second preseason game, but either way, this is an encouraging sign.
The Kansas City Chiefs Made CB Mansoor Delane Their Primary Draft Target
GettyBATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA – OCTOBER 11: Cornerback Mansoor Delane #4 of the Louisiana State Tigers (now of the Kansas City Chiefs) celebrates a pass defense during the game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Tiger Stadium on October 11, 2025 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Michael DeMocker/Getty Images)
Delane spent three seasons at Virginia Tech, earning All-ACC honors and putting good tape out there. If he’d chosen to declare for the 2025 NFL draft, he likely would’ve been a third-round pick. Instead, he chose to bet on himself and transfer to LSU — and it couldn’t have worked out better. Delane put together a monster season for the Tigers and became the consensus top cornerback in the draft.
The Chiefs took notice, trading up three spots from No. 9 to No. 6 to make sure they got Delane. Early in the process, Kansas City identified Delane as their target with their first selection, and he’s a flawless fit in Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo’s defense.
Earlier in the offseason, the Chiefs traded All-Pro CB Trent McDuffie to the Rams (they also allowed CB Jaylen Watson to leave in free agency, with him ironically also signing with the Rams). Losing your top two cornerbacks is a tough blow for any defense to absorb, and as a result, Delane is under considerable pressure to perform right away. If anyone can handle it, though, it’s him.
The Chiefs’ Cornerback Competition Is Worth Monitoring
GettyKANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – AUGUST 15: Cornerback Nohl Williams #20 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates a first quarter pass break up during the NFL preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams at Arrowhead Stadium on August 15, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)
On paper, the Chiefs’ depth chart at cornerback is settled. 2025 third-round pick Nohl Williams and returning veteran L’Jarius Sneed join Delane as the trio of starters in base defenses. With Sneed and Delane missing big chunks of camp, though, it’s opened the door for other players to step up.
So far, no one’s really emerged. Kristian Fulton has plenty of starting experience in the league, but he almost exclusively runs with the second unit. For now, at least, Delane’s starting spot is secure — provided he’s healthy and good to go Week 1.
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