Steven

Nelson

The Chiefs enter Super Bowl LIX largely in good health. Morris struggled all season before being replaced in the starting lineup by D.J. Humphries and, later, guard Joe Thuney. The Chiefs also declared OL C.J. Hanson, OT Ethan Driskell, DE Malik Herring, DE Joshua Uche, CB Steven Nelson and CB Keith Taylor inactive.

Nelson was a third-round pick of the Chiefs back in 2015 and spent the first four years of his career with the team. He then bounced around between the Steelers, Eagles, and Texans before announcing his retirement earlier this year. Last season, Nelson totaled 63 tackles for the Texans while tying a career-high with four interceptions. He earned a PFF coverage grade of 73.7, after allowing just 38-613-1 on 64 targets. Nelson will join the Chiefs’ practice squad, but can be elevated at any time as they prepare to solidify their roster before the postseason.

At just 31 years old, Nelson has opted to call it quits. The former third-round pick tied a career-high with four interceptions last season while playing on over 1,000 defensive snaps, and, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, fielded multiple offers from teams this offseason. Nelson appeared in 130 regular season contests during his career, racking up 13 interceptions while also recovering four fumbles His 12 pass breakups tied for 23rd most in the league amongst defensive backs last season, as he helped solidify a Texans secondary that allowed the fewest touchdown passes (17) in the league.

Cornerback Stevenson Nelson was also ruled out while M.J. Stewart, Ward’s backup, was placed on injured reserve earlier this week. Facing an undermanned Houston defense, Joe Burrow should sleepwalk into QB1 numbers this week, even without Tee Higgins in the lineup.

Nelson is considered questionable to play on Sunday against the Bengals. With fellow cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. still not back from the IR, the Texans’ secondary could be comprised of Shaq Griffin and Ka’dar Hollman at outside cornerback with Tavierre Thomas at nickel. That’s not ideal against this Bengals passing attack.

Nelson has started all season for the Texans. Tremon Smith replaced him and immediately caught a pick off Noah Brown’s shoulder pad.

Nelson, 29, plugs a big hole on the back end of coach Lovie Smith’s defense after Smith openly admitted earlier this week that the play had to get better at cornerback. Nelson started 16 games opposite Darius Slay in Philly last season and has long been a reliable, sturdy cover corner on the boundary. For now, Nelson slides in as the Texans’ top corner after grading out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 73 cover corner out of 129 qualifiers last season.

“We can’t play the type of football that we want to play until we get better at the cornerback position, I will say that,” Smith added. The Texans released Terrance Mitchell, re-signed Desmond King, and have brought in Steven Nelson for a visit recently. This statement could point towards an early draft pick at the position -- perhaps Ahmad Gardner at No. 3 or Derek Stingley at No. 13.

Nelson, 29, is one of the better free agents available midway through April. This is the second straight year he’s had to wait out free agency, as he wasn’t signed until July last summer, spending 2021 with the Eagles after being released by the Steelers in March. Playing opposite Darius Slay in Philly, Nelson started 16 games and received middling coverage marks from Pro Football Focus.

Nelson injured his shoulder in the first half and did not return. The Eagles will be without one of their starting corners for the remainder of the game.