The Kansas City Chiefs are looking hard in the mirror after losing quarterback Patrick Mahomes to a devastating knee injury, and changes are coming. They already were before Mahomes got hurt given their issues in one-score games, and ESPN experts Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano did a breakdown of the Chiefs’ situation that included at least one including trade possibility.
Cornerback Trent McDuffie is a 25 year old, two-time All-Pro who doesn’t sound like the kind of player you’d want to trade, but he’s looking for a big extension. As Fowler pointed out, The last Kansas City corner eyeing a big extension, L'Jarius Sneed, was shipped to Tennessee for a draft pick.
The Chiefs need draft capital, and McDuffie would provide it. That capital could be used on a boundary receiver with size, a pass rusher or one of several other needs.
Graziano made another relevant point. “The Chiefs always seem to let cornerbacks go when it's time to pay big money,” he wrote, “but a big reason they've been able to get away with that is that they always have a replacement ready to go -- as McDuffie was when they traded Sneed, and like Sneed was when they moved on from Charvarious Ward. I'm not sure they have that heir apparent on the roster, unless they think it's Joshua Williams or Jaylen Watson.
“When the rubber hits the road with McDuffie, it'll be interesting to see whether that pattern is a result of how they value the position or is more about their confidence in drafting corners and Steve Spagnuolo's ability to develop them.”
The Chiefs have other players in their secondary who may want to get paid, too. It's also worth noting that Watson, Williams and safety Bryan Cook are all eligible for free agency after this season, according to Graziano, which means the Chiefs have a lot of decisions to make about their secondary.
One trade may not solve all of Kansas City’s problems, though. Tight end Travis Kelce already sounds like he might be retiring, and there’s still a need for a running back who can make big plays. There’s also the question of Mahomes’ timeline to return, which the Chiefs are forecasting as the beginning of the 2026 season, but that may end up being more than a little optimistic.
Right now it’s all a bit of a muddle, so throw a possible McDuffie trade into the hopper as a move that could very well happen.