Getty Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Rashad Fenton.
The Kansas City Chiefs made a trade at the trade deadline buzzer, sending cornerback Rashad Fenton to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a 2023 conditional seventh-round pick, according to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero.
Per Pelissero, the decision to move on from Fenton, who was a sixth-round pick of the Chiefs in 2019, had to do with cap space. Moving Fenton adds $1.4 million onto the team’s $3.3 million of available cap space, per the NFLPA’s Salary Cap Report.
Fenton, 25, had begun losing reps in the secondary this season due to the play of rookies Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams. So, moving Fenton gives him a fresh start elsewhere, but it also puts a lot of pressure on Kansas City’s young secondary to perform well down the stretch.
The Chiefs will now rely on Watson, Williams, L’Jarius Sneed, and rookie first-round pick Trent McDuffie — who was activated from injured reserve (hamstring) minutes after the Fenton trade was reported — to lead the cornerback room.
We have activated CB Trent McDuffie from Reserve/Injured.
Twitter Reacts to Fenton Trade
Twitter users reacted to Kansas City trading Fenton to Atlanta.
“So the Chiefs who have struggled on D, especially in the secondary have let go a CB and bolstered a wide out room that already had 2 new big editions in FA and Skye Moore in the draft. Would think that bolstering a struggling def would of better use of assists. (LB,CB,Pass rush),” one Twitter user wrote.
@FieldYates So the Chiefs who have struggled on D, especially in the secondary have let go a CB and bolstered a wide out room that already had 2 new big editions in FA and Skye Moore in the draft. Would think that bolstering a struggling def would of better use of assists. (LB,CB,Pass rush)
“Falcons needed somebody to play CB since our two starters are likely out for at least a few more weeks. You do what you gotta do,” another user wrote.
@FieldYates Falcons needed somebody to play CB since our two starters are likely out for at least a few more weeks. You do what you gotta do.
“Fenton is in the final year of his rookie deal and making $2.5 million this year which makes him a pretty cheap option with Casey Hayward out likely for the season and A.J. Terrell dealing with hamstring injury,” another user wrote.
“Man, good for Fenton! He’ll get plenty of opportunity in that room and get a shot to finish the year with more snaps than he would’ve gotten in KC. Wear that damn ring proud!” another user wrote.
“Fenton was probably looking at the 5th CB spot with McDuffie coming back. Making this move frees up some more space in case more injuries happen or can be carried over,” another user wrote.
“Interesting. I think I like this for the Chiefs to clear the path for young corners to get playing time,” another user wrote. “The counterpoint is you can never have enough CB depth. Especially in the AFC.”
Chiefs Don’t Add at Trade Deadline
The NFL saw 12 trades take place on trade deadline day, which is a league record. However, non of them involved the Chiefs adding a player to their roster despite needing an additional defensive piece or two for the second half of the season.
That was a record-setting @NFL trade deadline.
The Chiefs, who are 5-2 and in first place in the AFC West, are entering a Week 9 Sunday Night Football matchup against the Tennessee Titans, who leapfrogged Kansas City for the No. 2 seed in the AFC in Week 8.
The defending AFC West champions will enter their second half of the regular season with a young defense and an offense that has added 23-year-old receiver Kadarius Toney via trade on October 27.