Rams secure another star cornerback, reuniting Jaylen Watson with Trent McDuffie after a substantial contract, signaling championship aspirations.
The Kansas City Chiefs kicked off the offseason by trading away star cornerback Trent McDuffie once and for all.
The Chiefs failed to come to terms on a new deal, and they sent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for a flurry of draft picks, including a first-rounder in 2026.
The Rams then immediately gave McDuffie a brand new deal, inking him to a whopping four-year, $124 million extension, making him the new highest-paid cornerback in History, breaking the mark previously held by Indianapolis Colts star Sauce Gardner.
And, now the Chiefs saw another key departure, this time just after the free agency negotiation window opened. Cornerback Jaylen Watson is also going to the Rams, reuniting with McDuffie, according to a report from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the deal is for three years and $51 million, so it's another big investment in the CB position for the Rams.
After the McDuffie trade, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo thought it was a precursor to a potential big-money move to bring back Watson, but the Rams wasted no time and brought in another talented cornerback to the secondary.
Watson was selected in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft after playing at Washington State, so he has had a stellar career for a late Day 3 draft pick.
Watson played in 15 or more games in three of the four seasons with Kansas City, and he totaled 3 interceptions, including 2 in 2025, along with four sacks and 128 solo tackles.
Right before the Watson news, the Chiefs reportedly agreed to a deal with Super Bowl MVP and Seattle Seahawks star running back Kenneth Walker III, and running back was a huge priority this offseason.
The Athletic's Jesse Newell projected a four-year, $73 million deal for Watson, and he gets just under that on a shorter deal to go to the Rams.
The Rams lost in the NFC title game to the Seahawks, but NFL MVP winner Matthew Stafford is coming in 2026 in what could be his final year, and the Rams are not wasting time in hopes of another Super Bowl push.
For the Chiefs, it is another gigantic loss, but with the RB position secured now, and with Travis Kelce returning in 2026, perhaps they can address the CB position with the No. 9 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.