1 surprising Chiefs player who could make or break 2026 NFL season

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1 surprising Chiefs player who could make or break 2026 NFL season

Bailey Bassett, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Tue, Jul 21, 2026 ·

3 min read

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From 2019 to 2024, the Kansas City Chiefs made five Super Bowl appearances, winning the big game thrice during that span. They officially established a dynasty with Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce leading the way, but 2025 was a down season. They won just six games and missed the postseason altogether. Now, the Chiefs are hoping to bounce back.

That may be easier said than done because of the losses the team suffered in the offseason, though. The defensive secondary, in particular, took a huge hit. Mahomes is close to being cleared for action , and it has to be assumed that the offense will be fine as long as arguably the best player in the NFL is healthy. There are questions that need to be answered on defense, though. So, who is the Chiefs player who could make or break the 2026 season?

The Chiefs need a big year from one of their cornerback additions

While Kansas City 's dynasty started because of stellar offensive play in which Mahomes' unit was putting up huge numbers, it continued over the years because the defense caught up. The team has been able to develop a number of talented players, particularly in the defensive secondary.

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However, the cornerback position took a huge hit in the offseason. The Los Angeles Rams traded for Trent McDuffie , and they followed that move up by signing Jaylen Watson . The Chiefs were forced to completely revamp the secondary. They brought back L'Jarius Sneed , who made a name for himself with the Chiefs before he left for the Tennessee Titans . They also invested first-round draft capital into Mansoor Delane, who was arguably the best cornerback in the 2026 NFL Draft.

A move that has been overlooked was the signing of Kader Kohou , though. The ex-Miami Dolphins player was signed for just $1.8 million on a one-year deal. He missed all of last season because of a torn ACL suffered during training camp. Kohou could have a huge impact on the Chiefs' season, though, and Kansas City needs him to bounce back in a big way.

The Texas A&M-Commerce product went undrafted in 2022, but he had the talent to make the Dolphins' 53-man roster as a rookie. From there, he became one of the best nickel corners in the NFL, and the numbers back up what a lack of name recognition doesn't display.

In his last healthy season of 2024, for example, Kohou ranked sixth in the NFL in yards allowed per coverage snap , only trailing big-name stars such as Christian Benford , Pat Surtain, Derek Stingley , Garrett Williams , and AJ Terrell in that regard. The slot cornerback position is of the utmost importance in the modern NFL with offenses spreading the field and prioritizing the passing attack.

The Chiefs have question marks across their secondary. Sneed might not be the same player he was the last time he suited up for the Chiefs, and Delane will surely have some rookie-year struggles. The fact that Kohou is coming off a missed season and a major knee injury is worrisome, too. If he and the rest of the cornerbacks struggle this season, the Chiefs might be looking at a second consecutive missed postseason appearance, but if the DBs, and Kohou in particular, can reach their potential, Kansas City just might find themselves back in Super Bowl contention.

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