New KC chiefs start cornerback Nazeeh Johnson in concussion protocol vs. Raiders

The Kansas City ChiefsThe thin cornerback group got even thinner on Sunday, when cornerback Nazeeh Johnson was sidelined early in KC’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders and entered the concussion protocol. Johnson introduced the protocol after being injured in the first half. He has not yet returned or been officially banned as of the publication of this story.

Johnson got the start against the Raiders thanks to cornerback Jaylen Watson’s ankle injury landed him on the injured reserve list this week. Behind Johnson, the Chiefs have Joshua Williams, Chris Rolland-Wallace and Keith Taylor, with Taylor signing to the active roster of KC’s practice squad following Watson’s injury.

Early in the week, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid expressed the team’s confidence in Johnson’s ability to step in for Watson.

“Every week he’s getting better and stronger and that’s the most important thing,” Reid said of Johnson. “He’s a good player. Just that he has confidence in his leg and that the leg is strong, and that just happens through playing. Every week it’s been positive and he’s ready for the spot. (Williams has) been there too , he’s done it, so he knows what it takes. Two different body types, and we need them both, and they both have to step up. Watson had a great year here steps and do the same.”

Last week against the San Francisco 49ers, Rolland-Wallace recorded his first NFL interception. Thursday, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo discussed how the undrafted rookie forced his way onto the Chiefs’ initial 53-man roster and what Rolland-Wallace now brings to the Chiefs’ defense.

“We didn’t really know much about him, we knew he was a good football player,” Spagnuolo said. “He had played some nickel, he had played some safety, but he was mainly a corner. I think we had a lot of corner numbers at the time and Chris played a lot more safety in training camp than he actually played nickel and corner. How impressive to me was, was how smart he was. Here’s a guy who goes from playing outside in college and making some money to playing safety, which isn’t easy in any system.

“That impressed me, and then he started making plays. He made them in training camp, he made them in practice against our offense and then he slowly moved up the ranks. Somewhere in there I remember saying, ‘ We need him at Nickel and see what he can do there.” And then he excelled in that spot. It didn’t seem very big to him. I was really impressed with the way he handled it.”

Read more: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Las Vegas Raiders: Week 8 Preview, Score Predictions