Chiefs' Trent McDuffie trade rumors take a turn with latest NFL news
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Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie.
The Kansas City Chiefs made the biggest move of the 2026 offseason so far by trading star cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams.
Kansas City received three 2026 draft picks for McDuffie in the first, fifth, and sixth rounds, and was also given a 2027 third-round selection. While it’s never easy to part with a player the caliber of McDuffie, the Chiefs badly needed more draft capitol and flexibility with their salary cap.
As far as what the Rams are getting in McDuffie – he is a two-time All-Pro who can play out on the boundary and inside the slot. McDuffie is already a two-time Super Bowl champion and is in his prime at 25 years old. Now that the dust has settled a bit, many NFL experts have graded and shared their opinion on the blockbuster deal.
Sports Illustrated’s grade for Chiefs: A
From Gilberto Manzano: “Going the quick-fix route doesn’t make much sense for this team. Additionally, there’s no need for urgency after this group advanced to five Super Bowls in six seasons. It’s not exactly the same situation, but the Rams endured a losing season after winning the Super Bowl in the 2021 season, changing their roster-building philosophy to create another Super Bowl window.”
Kansas City has had an incredible run of success, but there comes a point where things have to be retooled a bit. If they can hit a home run in the draft and sign a couple of key free agents, the Chiefs can set themselves up for their next long sustained run.
CBS Sports’ grade for Kansas City Chiefs: B+
From John Breech: “You never want to trade away a top cornerback, but in this situation, the deal actually makes a ton of sense for the Chiefs. This is a team that’s getting old and has a lot of holes on its roster and the quickest (and cheapest) way to fill those holes is by acquiring as many draft picks as possible. If the Chiefs had kept McDuffie, they would have likely had to pay him somewhere around $30 million on a long-term deal, but instead, they’ll be able to use that money to fill other holes on their roster.”
The Chiefs now have nine picks instead of only six in this year’s draft, giving them more flexibility to not only fill other roster needs, but replace McDuffe.
Yahoo Sports’ grade for Chiefs: B
From Frank Schwab: “”The Chiefs did get some valuable picks back. While a late 2026 first-round pick doesn’t have as much juice as it might in other years, it’s still a first-round pick. They have two now, with the Rams’ pick to go with their own pick, which is ninth overall. The 2027 third-round pick has plenty of value if that draft class is as good as NFL teams believe it will be.”
Even though it doesn’t provide an instant impact, the third-round pick that Kansas City received in 2027 will be very valuable.
The Athletic’s grade for Chiefs: A-
From Jeff Howe: “Now, the Chiefs have the Nos. 9 and 29 picks of the draft, so they can even move up the board for an impact player if they choose. After a rare down season, the Chiefs have a chance to reload with high-quality young players — that is a scary thought for their competition.”
Another way the Chiefs can utilize their many draft picks is to package some together and trade for a proven veteran, or move up into the top five of the draft.