Christian Roland-Wallace earned his highest snap count of the season, potentially a sign of what’s to come in the playoffs.

Sep 15, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo watches play against the Cincinnati Bengals during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Chiefs just received big injury news following the dominant victory over the Texans in Week 16, giving a rookie a major opportunity on Christmas Day against the Steelers.

Defensive back Chamarri Conner missed the game against Houston with an injury. Kansas City released an estimated injury report on Sunday, noting that Conner was among a handful of players who would not have practiced.

His status for Wednesday is in question and rookie Christian Roland-Wallace is in line to take on significant snaps in Pittsburgh.

Chiefs Rookie CB Christian Roland-Wallace Handed Opportunity After Chamarri Conner Injury

There’s been much discussion about the secondary’s struggles once Jaylen Watson went down. Nazeeh Johnson failed to take advantage of his opportunity and the Chiefs have cycled through players in an attempt to find a suitable starter alongside Trent McDuffie.

Surprisingly, Roland-Wallace played 54% of the snaps against Houston, the third-most at the position. Joshua Williams played 58%, just a touch above, but it’s clear that Steve Spagnuolo and his staff want to see what Roland-Wallace can do.

An undrafted rookie out of USC, Roland-Wallace has 21 tackles, an interception, and a forced fumble in limited time this year, displaying a knack for causing turnovers. He’s surrendered a 90.6 passer rating when targeted in coverage but grades as one of the league’s best corners in pass rush and run defense at Pro Football Focus.

Considering that Spagnuolo covets versatility in his defensive backs, Roland-Wallace is an interesting player whom Kansas City can get creative with. Ferocious passing attacks await the Chiefs in the playoffs, so it’s wise to see what they have in the rookie.

Perhaps Roland-Wallace becomes the latest diamond in the rough that the Chiefs find in the secondary. At the least, it behooves the organization to find out. They only need one more win to seal the No. 1 seed in the AFC and all focus should be on preparing to win a third straight Super Bowl.

While Conner should return in time for the postseason, it’s possible that Roland-Wallace’s strong play will earn him a role when the games matter most.