Chiefs CB Kristian Fulton’s lack of playing time is not the indictment against Brett Veach that some seem to think it is

Kristian Fulton isn’t playing right now for the Chiefs and that’s not a bad thing. Just look at Jaylon Moore filling in for Josh Simmons.

Charles Goldman — NFL Managing Editor
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Kansas City Chiefs CB Kristian Fulton hasn’t played much so far during the 2025 NFL season after signing a two-year deal worth $20 million, with $15 million guaranteed in free agency.

Fulton played just 15 snaps in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers before suffering an ankle injury during Week 2 against the Philadelphia Eagles. He’s missed the last four games in part because of the ankle injury, but he was a healthy scratch in Week 6 against the Detroit Lions. So what gives? Why is one of the Chiefs’ top free agent signings not playing?

A significant aspect of this situation is the injuries that have occurred. There’s the ankle injury, but Fulton also underwent offseason cleanup surgery on his knee, which resulted in him missing nearly all of training camp and the preseason. He missed a lot of the time when trust with the coaching staff and on-field chemistry with teammates is built.

The other part of this situation is the emergence of rookie CB Nohl Williams, who has a foothold on the outside cornerback spot opposite Jaylen Watson in nickel. That would be the spot where Fulton would be playing had Williams not jumped onto the scene, putting up one of the best performances by a rookie cornerback to this point of the season.

Another aspect to consider is that if you’re not among the starters at cornerback in Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo’s system, you’ve got to be willing to participate on special teams. Fulton played just 16 special teams snaps in 2024 with the Los Angeles Chargers. When Fulton missed time due to an injury during training camp, it didn’t allow him to get entrenched with Dave Toub, which has made players like Joshua Williams more valuable as gameday actives. Rest assured, if the Chiefs suffer an injury, Fulton will be the next man in the lineup the following week, even if he’s not active and placed in that situation during a game.

Jaylon Moore serves as a perfect example of why the Kristian Fulton situation deserves grace

Fans need look no further than what’s going on with Josh Simmons and Jaylon Moore right now to understand why it was the right move for Brett Veach to sign Kristian Fulton during the legal tampering period. When they signed Moore, he was expected to be their starter at the left tackle position because the team had no idea how the 2025 NFL Draft would play out. Similarly, the Chiefs signed Fulton to play opposite Jaylen Watson because they had no idea that they’d be able to land a player like Nohl Williams in Round 3 or whether he’d be any good.

Chiefs CB Kristian Fulton Quick Facts

  • Former second-round draft pick by the Tennessee Titans out of LSU in 2021.
  • Appeared in 57 career games with 51 NFL starts over five seasons.
  • Recorded five interceptions and 32 passes defended, along with a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, nine tackles for loss, and a sack in that span.

Just as Moore is preventing the team from facing a drop-off at left tackle with Simmons absent, the Chiefs have now set themselves up to stop a drop-off at the cornerback position from happening should they have an injury or absence. Last season, when Watson went down with a leg injury, it put considerable strain on the defense; however, they’re better prepared should something similar happen.

Let’s not be too short-sighted here, too. Fulton is on a two-year deal as the Chiefs have several defensive backs slated for free agency following the 2025 NFL season. Even if there are no injuries and he’s a healthy scratch all season, he could wind up playing an outsized role on defense in 2026, and he’ll be better prepared for it, having been here throughout 2025.

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