Trent McDuffie
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After trading Trent McDuffie to the Rams, the Chiefs are expected to attempt to find his replacement in the 2026 NFL Draft
The Kansas City Chiefs have pulled off the first major blockbuster of the NFL offseason, as they dealt superstar cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for four draft picks, including the No. 29 overall selection in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. While the Chiefs got a haul in exchange for McDuffie, it’s clear his departure leaves a big hole in the team’s defense.
After getting selected with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, McDuffie quickly turned himself into one of the top cornerbacks in the league during his first four seasons with Kansas City. However, the front office felt he was expendable, and now, it will begin looking for McDuffie’s replacement in what figures to be a busy offseason of work.
Chiefs Expected to Draft Trent McDuffie’s Replacement
For the #Chiefs, they’ve long believed they can draft and develop CBs — something they’ve done consistently over the years. The plan is to do it again this year. https://t.co/xAoN2aSijK
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 4, 2026
This isn’t the first time that the Chiefs have been aggressive when it comes to trading away players in the peak of their careers. During their recent dynasty, we’ve seen them surprisingly unload guys like Tyreek Hill, L’Jarius Sneed, and Joe Thuney in exchange for draft capital. While these sorts of deals are certainly risky, they have helped Kansas City remain a consistent contender during Patrick Mahomes’ time under center.
The 2025 campaign was the first time the Chiefs really felt the sting of these moves. Their offense clearly missed the impact of guys like Hill and Thuney, and while the defense was solid, it now doesn’t have its No. 1 corner in McDuffie, who was a member of the All-Pro First Team in 2023. Simply put, replacing him is going to be easier said than done.
K.C. clearly feels it can do that, though, especially with the haul of picks it received from Los Angeles. In fact, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Chiefs immediately target the cornerback position in the upcoming 2026 draft now that they have a bounty of picks at their disposal.
“For the Chiefs, they’ve long believed they can draft and develop CBs — something they’ve done consistently over the years. The plan is to do it again this year,” Schultz reported in a post on X.
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GettyKansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie.
There’s no doubt that trading McDuffie comes with some risk. Even while admitting that he was not at his best in 2025, McDuffie is still one of the top corners in the league when he’s fully healthy. And at just 25 years old, you can make a case that his best days are still ahead of him, which is tough to consider when looking at what he’s already managed to accomplish in his career.
The Chiefs will save some money by moving on from McDuffie, but proven talent in the NFL is always better than potential talent. Kansas City has admittedly had success making these sorts of trades in the past, but as we just saw in 2025, this sort of move can backfire if draft picks don’t develop as expected. In order for this deal to work, K.C. is going to have to nail all of its selections in the 2026 draft, or else it could be in some serious trouble moving forward.