Chiefs GM Brett Veach
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With roster cutdowns in the books, Chiefs GM Brett Veach has made his initial round of practice squad pickups.
The Kansas City Chiefs are in the midst of a significant roster turnover.
They lost multiple starters in free agency, but also acquired several new players to replace them. Kansas City currently has nine selections in the 2026 NFL Draft to continue to strengthen its remaining positions of need.
A huge part of the draft, both before and during, is trades. Could the Chiefs make a splash deal to stockpile on more picks? The folks over at Pro Football Focus believe they may be able to do so without parting from one their top players.
Kansas City Chiefs’ No. 9 Overall Draft Pick Is Their Most Valuable Trade Asset
PFF recently named each team’s most valuable trade asset, and they believe Kansas City can get a lot in return for its ninth overall draft selection.
“A rare sight in the Mahomes–Andy Reid era: a top-10 pick. After three straight Super Bowl appearances — winning two — the Chiefs missed the playoffs following a season defined by struggles in close games and a season-ending injury to Mahomes. While Mahomes is still capable of taking over games, his down-to-down consistency over the past few seasons hasn’t quite matched his earlier standard. Combined with missed draft picks, trades and injuries, Kansas City’s offensive weapons are not what they were when he first entered the league. While the ninth overall pick could be used on a high-end wide receiver, the better approach may be to trade down and accumulate additional selections. That would give the Chiefs more opportunities to rebuild depth and restock the offense around their franchise quarterback.”
If the Chiefs do deal their No. 9 pick, they would likely swap first round selections with whichever team they trade with, while also gaining an extra pick in either the second or third round. That could give them a whopping five selections within the top 100 picks.
What Would It Take for Chiefs to Trade Down in 1st Round?
GettyKansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt and general manager Brett Veach
Kansas City has mostly picked in the bottom of each round during its dynasty run dating back to 2019. That makes it tough to pass on the opportunity to make a selection in the top 10, but it’s not out of the question. If the Chiefs aren’t particularly high on any one player when they hit the clock at No. 9, trading down could be for the best.
Acquiring more picks allows them to draft best player available rather than for need. The consensus top upgrades they need to make are at wide receiver, defensive end, cornerback, and right tackle. Trading down could enable Kansas City to address all of those needs before it even reaches the late rounds.
Don’t forget that the Chiefs have a second pick during the first round at No. 29 overall. That could be the one they end up trading, moving back into the second round while adding an extra mid-round pick. If the Chiefs play their cards right, they could emerge from this year’s draft with multiple players who compete for starting jobs right off the bat. Combining them with their new free agent additions could get Kansas City back to the top of the AFC.