The Kansas City Chiefs head into free agency with a need for another cornerback. Though they could still retain Jaylen Watson before the legal tampering window on Monday morning, there are some good, valued corners available who could replace Trent McDuffie in the starting lineup.
Josh Jobe (Seattle Seahawks)
He is a 5’11”, 190-pound cornerback so far in his career. He spent his time with the Eagles and Seahawks. This year, he played 16 games, recorded 54 total tackles (41 solo, 13 assists), 0.5 sacks, and 1 interception. He headed into Free Agency with 54 games played, 114 total tackles, 90 solo tackles, 24 assist tackles, 0.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 2 interceptions.
One of his strengths is elite press-man coverage, strong run support, and strong ball awareness. Some of his weaknesses are average ball skills, at times struggling to locate the ball in the air, and stiff hips, which make it difficult to cover double moves and route breaks. I would expect him to sign a 3-year, $30 million deal.
Alex Austin (New England Patriots)
He is a 6’1”, 191-pound cornerback who spent his career with the New England Patriots. This year, he played 12 games, 13 total tackles, 10 solo tackles, and 3 sacks. In his whole career, he played 26 games, 31 total tackles, 25 solo tackles, 6 assist tackles, and 1 interception. I know his stats weren’t too impressive, but he was a big part of the special teams.
Some of his strengths are his solid ball skills, super physicality in coverage, and an aggressive corner willing to make a tackle no matter what; also, he can play anywhere in the secondary. Some of his weaknesses include a high missed-tackle rate and trouble with recognition in zone coverage. He is projected to sign a 1 year 2.5 million deal.
Amik Robertson (Detroit Lions)
He is a 5’9”, 183-pound cornerback who spent his career with the Raiders and the Lions. This year, he played 17 games, 52 total tackles, 43 solo tackles, 9 assist tackles, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 interception, and he spent his career stats with 86 games played, 213 total tackles, 167 solo tackles, 46 assist tackles, 2 sacks, 7 forced fumbles, 5 interceptions, and 35 passes defended.
Some of his strengths include a strong reputation as a ball hawk (35 pass breakups throughout his career) and the ability to play in both outside and slot coverage. Some of his weaknesses include his size at 5 feet 9, which limits him in coverage against tall, wide receivers. He has shown difficulty in zone and man coverage. His hard-hitting playstyle has led to injury-related absences. He is projected to sign a 3-year, $12-14 million deal.
Greg Newsome (Jacksonville Jaguars)
He is a 6’0”, 192-pound cornerback who spent 7 seasons in the NFL with the Browns and Jaguars. This year, he combined for 17 games played, 52 total tackles, 41 solo tackles, 11 assist tackles, and 1 interception. In his whole career, he combined for 71 games played, 207 total tackles, 163 solo tackles, 44 assist tackles, 1 sack, and 4 interceptions.
He was excellent at ball tracking at full speed; he showed he was strong enough to handle bigger wide receivers at the point of the snap. His weaknesses include inconsistent help with run support and a tendency to give up big plays, and he has a long history of injuries dating back to college. He is projected to sign a 3-year, $25 million to $29 million deal.
