The Kansas City Chiefs are in an odd position as the trade deadline draws closer. They’ve already had most of their wish list fulfilled with their wide receivers getting healthy, but they still have some needs. 

But those needs aren’t what most fans and media think they are. The sexy deadline add would be someone like running back Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints, but according to the buzz around the league, the Chiefs aren’t interested in adding to their running back room. 

This might seem odd given the relative lack of production from Isiah Pacheco, but that’s how coach Andy Reid likes to roll, and he’s fine with a combination of swing passes, bubble screens and short passes to tight end Travis Kelce as a substitute for a running game. It's still somewhat amazing that quarterback Patrick Mahomes is second on the team in rushing and just 21 yards behind Pacheco with 250, but Mahomes' out-of-pocket escapades are an essential part of the Chiefs offense. 

No, the Chiefs want to add on defense. This, too, might seem strange given how well the unit played two of the NFC’s best, the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions. But the Chiefs are looking for linemen, mostly to give defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo more weapons to use rushing the passer. 

Why? Look no further than the division schedule. The Chiefs still have two games left against the Denver Broncos, and pressuring Bo Nix will be critical in those games. The same is true when they meet quarterback Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers again, and it's safe to say Spagnuolo will want even more weapons when the playoffs roll around. 

Several ESPN experts tackled this question in a roundtable format,  and the comp would be the 2021 acquisition of defensive lineman Melvin Ingram. The Chiefs could also use a depth piece on the interior, so they might add a name that’s not nearly as flashy. 

Finally, Jeremy Fowler mentioned cornerback as a possible positional add. This, too, would be in line with what Spagnuolo might want. His heavy blitz packages often leave cornerbacks on an island, and Fowler mentioned that Chiefs cornerback Kristian Fulton has been a healthy scratch. He’s on a two-year, $20 million deal that could make him a trade candidate, and the Chiefs have a couple of young players who are emerging in rookie corner Nohl Williams and fellow DB Joshua Willams. Both could have trade value if the Chiefs want to add a savvy veteran to the cornerback room--or Kansas City could go in an entirely different direction and surprise us all.