![\"Trent](\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/07\/USATSI_26682906-e1753821465257-1200x800.jpg\")
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The Kansas City Chiefs are grinding their way through training camp, and it has revealed a potential new wrinkle for All-Pro cornerback\u00a0Trent McDuffie.<\/p>\n
McDuffie has logged more reps in the slot in training camp than he did last year. It is actually a return to form for the two-time Super Bowl champion and former No. 21 overall pick of the 2022 draft, though.<\/p>\n
Regardless, McDuffie is eager to put pressure on opposing QBs.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy favorite story is when I say, \u2018Every time I get a blitz, I start smiling,\u2019\u201d\u00a0McDuffie told Chiefs reporter Matt McMullen\u00a0in comments shared on July 29. \u201cI feel like I really just gotta focus in on what it means to be a blitzer, really, in this defense. Yeah, it gets to the quarterback. But like I always tell everybody, I know what it\u2019s like to be on an island. I know what it\u2019s like when it\u2019s Cover 0, and everybody blitzing, and the quarterback knows it.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really getting back to the quarterback, right, to help my buddies out on the back end. So, this year I\u2019m looking forward to it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n McDuffie could be in for a big season in terms of making splash plays for the Chiefs.<\/p>\n Per Pro Football Focus, McDuffie spent\u00a0152 of his 1,206 defensive snaps\u00a0in the slot at nickelback during the 2024 regular season.<\/p>\n That is down from McDuffie\u2019s\u00a0608 NB snaps\u00a0in 2023. They are also fewer than his\u00a0247 snaps there as a rookie\u00a0in 2022. McDuffie earned First Team All-Pro honors in 2023 and was a Second Teamer this past season.<\/p>\n If he continues to embrace the defense\u2019s new mantra, McDuffie is in for another big season.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s \u2018Be bold and be courageous,\u2019 which I think is really just an attitude thing,\u201d McDuffie said. \u201cWhen you want to play in Coach Spags\u2019 [Steve Spagnuolo] defense, you gotta be confident, you gotta be bold, and you can\u2019t be scared of making a mistake. So, we just gotta go out there and fly around.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n McDuffie recorded the first two interceptions of his career last season, and he forced 5 fumbles in 2023.<\/p>\n 2025 could be the season McDuffie puts it all together for an especially productive campaign.<\/p>\n McDuffie playing more in the slot means others must hold the fort down on the perimeter. The Chiefs have 2024 holdovers\u00a0Chamarri Conner\u00a0and\u00a0Nazeeh Johnson\u00a0to make the transition operate as desired.<\/p>\n However, they also added former Los Angeles Chargers and Tennessee Titans cornerback\u00a0Kristian Fulton\u00a0in free agency.<\/p>\n Unfortunately for the Chiefs, Fulton was part of a notable list of non-participants on Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cKristian Fulton (knee),\u00a0Darius Rush\u00a0(hamstring),\u00a0Eric Scott\u00a0(hamstring),\u00a0Deon Bush\u00a0(hamstring),\u00a0Jeffrey Bassa\u00a0(ankle) and\u00a0Jake Briningstool\u00a0(hamstring) didn\u2019t practice for the Chiefs today,\u201d\u00a0McMullen posted\u00a0on X on July 29.<\/p>\n \u201cHollywood Brown\u00a0(ankle),\u00a0Xavier Worthy\u00a0(banged his head),\u00a0Cooper McDonald\u00a0(sick) and\u00a0Skyy Moore\u00a0(hamstring) left early.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Brown\u2019s outlook is optimistic in the aftermath.<\/p>\n Still, Fulton could be the biggest key to the Chiefs trusting their coverage on the outside enough to move McDuffie inside in nickel formations.<\/p>\n At the very least, they are thinner at a premium position so long as he is sidelined. Of course, that also applies to Brown, Moore, and Worthy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Kansas City Chiefs are grinding their way through training camp, and it has revealed a potential new wrinkle for All-Pro cornerback\u00a0Trent McDuffie. Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":84182,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-84175","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\nChiefs Newcomer Misses Practice<\/h3>\n
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