The Chiefs’ cornerback corps sustained a tough blow Thursday, when Sean Smith bolted to join the Raiders. Kansas City, however, will keep the player it used to help compensate for Smith’s suspension, with Terez Paylor of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter) reporting the Chiefs re-signed the veteran cornerback.
One of the Chiefs’ key special-teamers, Fleming has spent the past two seasons in Kansas City after initially being selected by the Cardinals in the third round of the 2012 draft.
Fleming, 26, played in all 16 games for the first time last season. He’ll re-join a cornerback stable now fronted by reigning defensive rookie of the year Marcus Peters. The team’s third-rounders the past two years, Steven Nelson and Phillip Gaines, represent Kansas City’s other in-house options opposite Peters.
Fleming did play a part in shaping the Chiefs’ season despite not starting any games after lining up with the first unit during four contests in 2014. During’s Smith’s three-game hiatus, Fleming struggled to cover Emmanuel Sanders and yielded a game-tying touchdown pass from Peyton Manning to Sanders in the Chiefs’ Week 2 loss to the Broncos.