Chiefs Cornerback Jaylen Watson Injury Update: After Playing Through Injury Since Week 2, Super Bowl Winner Gets Shoulder Surgery

Against all odds, the Chiefs not only made it to the Super Bowl but emerged victorious. Initially grappling with offensive struggles, many pundits had predicted a modest wild card round appearance at best. However, the narrative took a dramatic turn when Spagnuolo’s defense took center stage and propelled them across the finish line.

The defense came together and shut down the opposing offenses. Among these contributors was the relatively lesser-known cornerback, Jaylen Watson, who valiantly played through a majority of the season despite being hampered by an injury.

Watson tore his labrum in week  2 of the season. But instead of going through surgery, he decided to play through pain for the team. The Chiefs CB took to X(formerly Twitter) to inform fans that he has undergone a successful surgery for the injury. He asserted that he could have gotten the treatment when the problem first presented but that would mean missing weeks worth of action. Jaylen stated that all that pain and hard work was worth it in the end as he ended up winning his 2nd consecutive Super Bowl.

 

While Sneed and McDuffie led the defense and got all the praise, Watson played his part diligently when given the chance. Missing just a solitary game week despite multiple injuries, he played 440 snaps during the regular season and contributed 33 tackles (two for loss), six passes defended, two quarterback hits, and a couple of sacks. As per Sports Illustrated, he further pitched in with another 7 tackles in 92 snaps during the postseason.

As the Chiefs go into the off-season, they have some important decisions to make regarding the Cornerbacks in the team as it franchise has limited cap space and many key pieces of Spags defense are up for contract extension.

Cornerback Situation in Kansas City

The Cornerback is one of the most important positions in the secondary defense and is usually given big contracts. It is also a position that requires multiple players as the cover for the position because of constant injuries and work rates. The Chiefs currently are abundantly blessed in this position as the team has 6 CBs with L’Jarius Sneed and Trent McDuffie playing the majority of the snaps.

Sneed has emerged as one of the best corners in the league, playing a crucial role during the postseason. As he enters contract negotiations, he is seeking an annual salary of $16.3 million, aligning with the market values of other top-tier cornerbacks such as Jalen Ramsey and Charvarius Ward. Kansas City has placed a franchise tag on him for $19,802,000, giving them options either to keep him and work on a contract extension or trade him this season for draft picks and clear cap space.

McDuffie was the first-round pick that the team got for trading Tyreek Hill. In just two seasons, he has made the corner spot his own and has emerged as one of the brightest talents in the league. As per Spotrac, he is currently on a 4 year, $13,992,484 rookie contract that he signed in 2022. With McDuffie set to enter his third season and ready to take on the role of CB1, the Chiefs can entertain the idea of trading Sneed, much like they traded Ward after the 2020 SB victory.

Both Watson and Joshua Williams are poised to take on more snaps in the upcoming season. Both players are currently on rookie contracts, each with two years remaining. Additionally, Nick Jones and Ekow Boye-Doe provide solid cover for the team.