Chamarri Conner exploded back onto the scene in Week 4 against the Las Vegas Raiders, not just playing, but immediately reclaiming his spot as a starting safety. In his season debut, Conner logged a massive 75% of the Chiefs’ defensive snaps, showing the coaching staff trusts him right out of the gate. He lined up next to Alohi Gilman, effectively taking over from third-year safety Jaden Hicks, who saw his snaps drop to just 29.
Conner Takes Back His Spot
This isn’t merely about playing time, it’s about a statement. Conner didn’t simply ease in, he immediately matched starting slot defender L’Jarius Sneed with 63 snaps. It’s a clear signal that the Chiefs want him in that primary role. Now, that doesn’t mean Hicks is out of the picture entirely. The guy still nearly matched Conner in run-defense snaps, 13 to Conner’s 18, which tells you they still value Hicks for those specific situations. But for general defensive duties, it’s Conner’s job to lose after this Week 4 performance.
Rookie Talent Stepping Up Big on Offense
While Conner was locking down the backfield, the Chiefs offense had its own emerging stars in the 30-27 win. With two starting wide receivers sidelined due to injury, second-year wideout Jalen Royals stepped up big. He played 38 snaps, his second-highest career total, only behind last season’s finale where he had 43. Though he didn’t haul in any of his two targets on 22 pass plays, the fact he was chosen over rookie Cyrus Allen, who only played five snaps, is a major development. Royals’ ability to gain yards after the catch with his physical running is something they’re gonna keep leaning on, especially with Tyquan Thornton now out. It’ll be key to watch how Royals’ and Allen’s roles shift going forward without Thornton in the mix.
And then there’s rookie running back Emmett Johnson, who’s carving out a very specific niche for himself. He played 17 snaps, his second-most ever, but critically, he hit a season-high with 12 pass-play snaps. Johnson didn’t get any handoffs, but he snagged a screen pass for a nice 10-yard gain. While lead back Ken Walker was going off for 177 yards on the ground, Johnson is clearly settling into that pass-down back role, grabbing snaps away from second-year guy Brashard Smith, who only saw two snaps in Vegas and just six all season. Johnson’s proving he’s the guy Patrick Mahomes looks to on passing downs.
The Chiefs just showed us a ton of shifting roles and emerging talent in that Week 4 win. With Conner back commanding the defense and young guys like Royals and Johnson finding their footing on offense, it’s clear this team is adapting on the fly. You’ve gotta watch these guys to see if these early trends hold up as the season rolls on.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Arrowhead Pride.
Leave a Reply