Chiefs Cornerback Kristian Fulton's Future in Doubt

Veteran CB could be next to depart Kansas City's secondary after Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson exits

Mar. 13, 2026 at 4:21pm

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The Kansas City Chiefs' secondary will look quite different this fall after trading cornerback Trent McDuffie to the L.A. Rams and watching Jaylen Watson join him via free agency. With those big departures, the door is wide open for young guys like Nohl Williams to take a big leap next season. However, veteran cornerback Kristian Fulton's tenure with the Chiefs has been frustrating, and now that he's on an expiring deal, it wouldn't be surprising if his time in Kansas City is running out.

Why it matters

The Chiefs have been ruthless with their secondary, not hesitating to move on from players like L'Jarius Sneed, Tyrann Mathieu, and now McDuffie. Fulton's inconsistent play and injury history could make him the next odd man out as the team looks to rebuild its cornerback room.

The details

Fulton was one of the Chiefs' more frustrating additions from last offseason. Injuries limited the veteran CB to eight appearances (two starts), and when healthy enough to play, he gave up 10 catches on 18 targets with a whopping 14.4 yards per completion - the worst mark of his career so far. Fulton also had a dreadful 34.6 run-defense grade and a 32.6 tackle grade, raising concerns about his overall performance.

  • Fulton joined the Chiefs last offseason on a two-year, $20 million contract.
  • In the 2022 season, Fulton was limited to eight appearances (two starts) due to injuries.
  • Fulton's contract with the Chiefs is set to expire in March 2027.

The players

Kristian Fulton

A veteran cornerback who joined the Kansas City Chiefs last offseason on a two-year, $20 million contract.

Trent McDuffie

A cornerback who was traded by the Chiefs to the L.A. Rams this offseason.

Jaylen Watson

A cornerback who left the Chiefs via free agency this offseason.

Nohl Williams

A young cornerback who is expected to take on a bigger role in the Chiefs' secondary next season.

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What’s next

The Chiefs can release Fulton at any point this offseason to create $5 million in salary cap space, or they could try to trade him to open up $10 million in cap space.

The takeaway

Kristian Fulton's inconsistent play and injury history could make him the next casualty in the Chiefs' ruthless approach to their secondary. With the team already moving on from Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, Fulton may be running out of time to prove he deserves a spot in Kansas City's future plans.