Why the Trent McDuffie trade is a win for the Chiefs and a blow to the Rams

As the trade block heats up prior to free agency, another star player has been moved. Trent McDuffie is being sent off to the Rams in exchange for pick compensation. McDuffie was heading into the final year of his rookie contract, and would demand a high price for his services. As such, Kansas City opted to give another team the opportunity to come to an agreement with him. That team is the Rams, an organization which is set on maximizing the little time remaining they have with Matthew Stafford at signal caller. Though fans may be eager to laugh at the Chiefs for losing yet another star in the secondary, this may be a trade that is in KC’s best interests. Simultaneously, it’s one that could end poorly for LA.

McDuffie’s time in KC

Trent McDuffie was selected 21st overall out of Washington back in 2022. With Kansas City losing four year starter Charvarius Ward, they felt the need to plug the hole left by Ward with an immediate contributor. McDuffie was just that. He hit the ground running in his rookie campaign and earned a PFF grade of 73.6. Afterwards, he became a staple in the secondary, and has since racked up 34 passes defensed, three interceptions and two All-Pro nods (one of them being first-team).

McDuffie’s potential extension

With the corner market continually growing, it’s no surprise that McDuffie would be eager to get his due. Though his primary utilization as a slot corner could complicate things, it’s not outside the realm of possibilities that he’d fetch a price north of 25 million annually. That’s a lot of money, especially for someone who doesn’t specialize outside play. This isn’t even considering the fact that he may demand to be the highest paid corner in the game, surpassing Sauce Gardner’s annual 30 million number.

Kansas City’s salary cap woes

Bad drafting and less than ideal free agency decisions have sunk the Chiefs into a hole. While there are some obvious moves which can alleviate their lack of cap space, they’re still bleeding a lot of talent. Take for instance Jawaan Taylor. Taylor’s release will save the Chiefs 20 million in the cap, but they’ll have to spend another offseason trying to shore up the offensive line. Kansas City has a lot of holes to plug, and prior to this trade, their draft capital would make that process mightily difficult.

Brett Veach’s history with trading corners

Kansas City’s front office has gone through this same song and dance before. Most recently, they traded away star CB L’Jarius Sneed to Tennessee in exchange for a seventh round pick swap and a third. Years before that, they had made another DB trade with the Rams when they shipped off Marcus Peters to LA. Of course, Steve Spagnuolo’s defense has greatly benefited from top contributors in the secondary. Nevertheless, it’s clear that KC values play in the trenches more than they do in the deep part of the field.

LA’s need at the position

Los Angeles ended their season ranking 22nd in average passing yards allowed per game. After Emmanuel Forbes appeared to be revitalizing his career, his play promptly fell off a cliff, and the rest of the Rams’ CBs didn’t fare well either. Particularly in high-stakes situation, LA’s fatal flaw was time and time again highlighted. In order for their window of contention to not go to waste, they’d have to address that chink in their armor.

The trade

As a way to patch the hole in their defense, the Rams decided to revert to their “f them picks” form. Of course, it’s a lot easier to trade a late first round pick when you have ownership of a top 15 selection as well. Regardless, it’s a bold move for a team that has recently benefited from meticulous drafting. According to Adam Schefter, the Rams have given up the 29th overall pick, a 2025 5th round and 6th round pick along with a 3rd round pick from next year, all in exchange for Trent McDuffie.

Why it’s a win for KC

As mentioned previously, the Chiefs are likely headed towards a soft rebuild. Players who are pillars on the team are showing their age, and the draft misses keep stacking up. Leading a rebuild with little-to-no cap space and six draft picks isn’t ideal. Now, with two first rounders and a future third, the path towards a forging a better unit looks much clearer than before. Though they’ll miss McDuffie, the front office has shown to be capable of finding replacements at the position.

How it could blow up in LA’s face

Don’t get it twisted, having McDuffie will be a boon for the Rams. However, with the price they’ve paid to get him and the money they’ll spend to keep him, it’s fair to question his fit with the squad. Though McDuffie isn’t bereft of outside CB talent, it’s far from being his strong suit. After an increased snap count on the outside in 2024, McDuffie’s allowed 9 touchdowns and drawn 16 penalties over the last two years. When targeting him, opposing quarterbacks have completed 63% of their passes for just over 1,000 yards.

Unfortunately, LA needs him to play on the outside. They’ve already got Quentin Lake locked up for the next three years to play as a nickelback. Meanwhile, their depth on the outside is thin, as they’ve only got Emmanuel Forbes and Josh Wallace under contract. Add on the fact that McDuffie will be attempting a rebound after a season-ending injury, there’s a big chance that he won’t mesh well with the team.

Even so, the Rams have a track record of tapping into what a player specializes in. If they’ve got a plan for McDuffie, chances are it’s one that’ll work out for them in the end.