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This is an unfortunate loss. Watson is the Rams’ No. 2 perimeter cornerback, and No. 1 cornerback Trent McDuffie has been slowed by a groin injury in recent weeks. Watson signed a three-year, $51 million contract with the Rams this offseason. Hopefully, Watson makes a full recovery in time for next season.

$34 million of it is guaranteed per Mike Garafolo. The Rams now have two of Kansas City’s three main cornerbacks from the 2025 season. Watson had a career-best 74.1 PFF defense grade for the Chiefs in 2025, but Kansas City almost never retains cornerbacks and prefers to keep churning the roster with youth. Watson figures to be one of Los Angeles’ main outside corners in 2026.

Watson is a former seventh-rounder who has started 21 games for the Chiefs over the last two seasons. The 27-year-old corner is expected to be one of the top available free agents on the market next month, and allowed just 35 catches for 447 scoreless yards on 59 targets last season, per PFF. Watson has played exclusively on the outside since entering the league in 2022 and hasn’t allowed a receiving touchdown since 2023.

After practicing in full this week, Watson is good to go for Kansas City’s Divisional Round matchup with the Texans. Watson played nearly every snap of the Chiefs’ first five games before going down with the ankle injury. He had six pass breakups and 21 total tackles through six appearances. Watson’s return will bolster an already-strong Kansas City defense.

Watson injured his ankle in Week 7’s win over the 49ers, and the Chiefs struggled to find decent cornerback play next to Trent McDuffie in his stead. Watson had a 74.2 PFF coverage grade in 221 coverage snaps this season. Andy Reid said he was “in good shape” and said “he has a chance of playing” earlier today. The full practice would certainly seem to suggest he has a good chance of being active on Saturday.

According to Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz, Watson will practice on Friday with the team and may return in time for the start of the Chiefs’ postseason. The third-year corner suffered a broken fibula in late October and was believed to be lost for the season. Now on the mend, the Chiefs will get a major boost to their secondary if Watson is able to return. Before suffering his injury, Watson had allowed just 15 receptions for 192 scoreless yards on 28 targets in six games while earning a PFF coverage grade of 74.2. The Chiefs already have a bye during the Wild Card round of the playoffs, meaning Watson wouldn’t return until the weekend of January 18th, giving him more than two weeks to practice and continue healing.