Sources: Chiefs' Jaylen Watson to have surgery on fibula, tibia

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson will undergo surgery for a broken fibula and tibia, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler on Tuesday.

Watson could return late in the season if the Chiefs make the playoffs, but it's also possible he won't return.

The Chiefs placed Watson on injured reserve Tuesday and signed cornerback Keith Taylor Jr. from their practice squad in a corresponding move.

He was injured in Sunday's win over the San Francisco 49ers. He had started all six games this season and had six passes broken up.

Watson joined the Chiefs in 2022 as a seventh-round draft pick from Washington State. He played in 32 regular-season games (eight starts) and seven postseason games (three starts) in 2022 and 2023.

Joshua Williams or Nazeeh Johnson, both also drafted by the Chiefs in 2022, are the leading candidates to replace Watson in the starting lineup.