Kansas City Chiefs’ Rookie DB Chamarri Conner Continues to Impress…
Special teams coordinator Dave Toub is pleased with the significant strides made by the team’s fourth-round selection, Chamarri Conner, as he progresses in his rookie season.
As the 2023-24 NFL season enters its 13th week, the Chiefs’ rookie class showcases a diverse range of performances. While first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah has limited field time, second-round selection Rashee Rice shines as the team’s top wide receiver.
Defensive end BJ Thompson, defensive tackle Keondre Coburn, and cornerback Nic Jones find themselves in various roles at the tail end, either as healthy scratches, re-signed after being waived, or contributing solely to special teams.
In the middle of this spectrum, offensive tackle Wanya Morris and defensive back Chamarri Conner are emerging as late-season standouts. Despite initially focusing on special teams, Conner has recently seen an increased defensive workload.
Over the past four games, Conner has accumulated double-digit defensive snaps in each, totaling 51 reps. Additionally, he has recorded his highest four-game special teams snap count at 83. Special teams coordinator Dave Toub commended Conner during a media session, expressing confidence in his continuous improvement and labeling him a player to watch in the future.
Toub stated, “He keeps getting better and better. That’s two games in a row that he made beautiful tackles on punt and open field tackles, so it tells you a lot about his football abilities.
He’s going to be a great one down the road. I’m enjoying the fact that I have him right now, and I know eventually he’s going to end up being in depth as a – you know getting more and more reps on defense. He’s already getting a lot now, but he’s going to get more and more as we go forward. He’s a player that you should be excited about.”
Examining Conner’s recent performance from a statistical standpoint, the last four games have been his most productive, accounting for 60% of his total tackles for the year. Toub highlighted the notable qualitative progress in Conner’s special teams contributions.
Despite facing competition at cornerback and safety positions, Conner has carved out a valuable role on special teams and is experimenting with defensive plays.
While comparisons to L’Jarius Sneed have been drawn due to their similar profiles, Conner, a 6-foot safety with explosive capabilities, has demonstrated versatility as a defensive back chess piece rather than a conventional boundary corner. Despite occasional coverage challenges, Conner has established himself as a reliable special teams player and an intriguing defensive prospect.
In contrast to previous seasons, where rookies faced challenges in securing defensive snaps, Conner’s ability to contribute to both special teams and defense simultaneously has set him apart. As the Chiefs gear up for a late-season playoff push, Conner is not only maintaining but increasing his workload. Toub’s optimism about the team’s excitement for Conner’s future contributions seems justified.
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