ST. JOSEPH, Mo.
After watching Sean Smith turn in a career year in 2014, then seeing him continue his strong play in organized team activities, the Chiefs understand that replacing the seventh-year cornerback during his three-game suspension won’t be easy.
But they’ve taken steps to prepare for Smith’s absence in September while he serves his punishment for a March DUI plea. Two big ones were the selections of rookie cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Steven Nelson in this year’s NFL Draft.
The fact that the Chiefs used two premium picks for cornerbacks — a first-rounder on Peters and one of two third-rounders on Nelson — is a strong indication they considered it position of need, both in the short-term and long-term.