After signing with the Kansas City Chiefs, cornerback Morris Claiborne didn’t suit up and play in preseason Week 2.
That seemed to be the plan, according to Andy Reid, but Claiborne was never formally ruled out. Now, heading into what is known as the dress rehearsal in preseason Week 3, there’s a new plan for Claiborne. According to defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, Claiborne could be making his Chiefs debut against the 49ers.
“We’re hopeful,” Spagnuolo said. “I think that’s the plan. That’s (Reid’s) plan. We’d like to see (Claiborne) get out there. He’s been great. He’s a pro. He’s been in it long enough. He knows how to handle things. He’s trying to get as many reps in there as he can. It’s a balancing act, right? Because he doesn’t play for the first four games. But he’s been a real pro about it.”
Spagnuolo feels Claiborne has a pretty solid understanding of the defense and the playbook, but added that he won’t really know until he gets to see the cornerback out on the field.
The coaching staff finds themselves doing the balancing act, knowing that Claiborne can’t play in the first four regular-season games because of a suspension, but also knowing that they need to see where he fits in this defense. So right now the plan is for him to play against the 49ers; however, we don’t yet know if he’ll play with the first-team or second-team defense, or how long he’ll play.
With the starting defense expected to play for three quarters, he might not see much playing time this week. It’s also possible that he is rotated in with the starters as the Chiefs continue to look for the best 11 guys on the defensive side of the ball.
The front office and coaches know they have a glaring weakness at the cornerback position. They might not come out and say it, but getting an early look at Claiborne will certainly help them determine whether they’ll be looking for more cornerback help come September roster cuts or perhaps even via trade.
