The Kansas City Chiefs need some help in the secondary and could get it from a familiar face. NFL insider Ian Rapoport tweeted that cornerback Steven Nelson, 31, is expected to visit One Arrowhead Drive for a potential reunion with the Chiefs for the playoff push.
The expected visit is confirmed to Rapoport by Nelson’s agent, Josh Arnold.
The Kansas City Chiefs dealt with a large hole in their defensive secondary after losing Jaylen Watson for the season with a fractured ankle in Week 7. Since then, they’ve experimented with playing Nazeeh Johnson on the outside opposite Trent McDuffie for the last six games, but need a stronger solution for defending receivers on the outside.
Clearly, general manager Brett Veach and his staff feel Nelson fits the bill. The nine-year pro began his NFL career in Kansas City in 2015 as a 3rd-round draft pick and played there for four seasons. While with the Chiefs, Nelson played in 52 games (38 starts), registering 182 tackles and four interceptions.
In 2019, Nelson left via free agency and signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he played for two seasons before requesting the Steelers terminate his contract during the 2021 offseason. On July 25, 2021, he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles for one season and recorded 50 tackles and an interception.
In 2022, he signed with the Houston Texans, where he started 31 of 32 games he played in during his two-year stint and finished with 115 tackles and five picks. He’s been out of football since the end of the 2023 NFL season.
Since losing Watson to injury, the Chiefs have struggled in the secondary when trying the defend opposing passing attacks. During his visit on Monday, Kansas City hopes Nelson is the savvy veteran they’re looking for to fill a glaring hole before the postseason begins.
