The Kansas City Chiefs ranked ninth in defense last season in average offensive yards allowed, and the franchise just added another piece to the defensive puzzle this offseason. The Chiefs and cornerback Kristian Fulton agreed to two year deal to further improve the defense for 2025.
The Chiefs were very aware of the skills that Fulton possessed given he was apart of the Los Angeles Chargers last season. The former second round pick has only improved since breaking into the league and Chief fans should be optimistic about the signing.
Since making his debut in 2020, Fulton has only increased his production, as last season was his best year yet in terms of individual statistics. In 15 games with the Chiefs divisional rival Chargers, Fulton set a career high in total tackles (51), solo tackles (39), and stuffs (three).
In three games against the Chiefs, Fulton, as apart of both the Chargers and the Tennessee Titans, was unable to see his team walk away with the victory. As the saying goes, “If you can’t beat them, join them,” and that is exactly what the newest cornerback did.
The combination of Fulton and cornerback Jaylen Watson should give the Chiefs more options to consider for the position. Compared to Fulton last season, Watson was a reliable part of the defense, collecting 32 total tackles in six games played, as he was on pace to set new career highs before his ankle injury.
Given that the unknown is possible, the addition of Fulton adds a veteran type presence to help Watson ease back into games. It also give the position a much needed boost given that a ton of other Chief defenders have been poached by other franchises.
Though Fulton saw his production decrease near the conclusion of the season, he remained a strong defender for the Chargers. According to PFF.com, Fulton was an above average defender that earned an overall grade of 71.1. He also ranked 40th among the other 223 cornerbacks.
Another area that Chief fans should be excited to see from Fulton is his defense against the run game. He ranked 22nd in the league and provided near excellent defense against the run.
