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Chiefs Trade Versatile Lineman to Patriots for Draft Pick: Report

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Getty Offensive linemen Trey Smith, Darryl Williams, Wyatt Miller, Yasir Durant and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif of the Kansas City Chiefs work on blocking drills, during training camp.

The Kansas City Chiefs continued to shave players off the active roster overnight, but this time it was via trade. The Chiefs have traded offensive lineman Yasir Durant to the New England Patriots in exchange for a 2022 seventh-round draft pick, according to Herbie Teope of the Kansas City Star.

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Durant’s Career, Chiefs’ O-Line Situation

The biggest change from last season for the Chiefs without a doubt is the offensive line, and rightfully so. The first big move this offseason for the Chiefs was signing former Patriots All-Pro guard Joe Thuney to a five-year, $80 million deal. Then in April, they made a big trade to acquire tackle Orlando Brown Jr. Fast forward to training camp, and two rookies — second-round pick, center Creed Humphrey and sixth-round pick, guard Trey Smith — are also earning significant reps with the first-team offense. That’s unusual, to say the least. Teams may typically experience a different face or two in the starting unit over the course of one offseason, but four new faces, and another — Lucas Niang, a 2020 rookie opt-out who is the Chiefs’ starting right tackle in 2021 — that didn’t touch the football field in 2020, is rare. But this is the case for Kansas City as they enter the 2021 regular season.

Kansas City opted to trade Durant likely due to the fact that he would be buried on the Chiefs’ depth chart had he remained with the team. With Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, Nick Allegretti, Kyle Long (PUP), Andrew Wylie, and Mike Remmers as depth pieces along the offensive line, Durant — who has the ability to play as a guard and tackle — became an expendable piece prior to the 2021 regular season beginning.

Essentially, Kansas City was able to flip an undrafted player for a draft pick, which is something you love to see. The trade worked out well for both teams, as the Chiefs were compensated for their depth along the offensive line, and New England was able to get a versatile lineman, which is something head coach Bill Belichick covets.

Durant entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2020 out of Missouri. He joined the Chiefs last offseason and was able to contribute to Kansas City’s Super Bowl run last season. He played in 11 games for them, and made his first start in Week 17 against the Los Angeles Chargers, according to Pro Football Reference.

Other Transactions

Here are the other transactions that have taken place for the Chiefs prior to Tuesday’s 3 p.m. CDT roster cutdown deadline, with the list being updated as the transactions continue to roll in. Hyperlinked are the reporters and/or outlets that broke the news:

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The Chiefs took advantage of their depth along the offensive line ahead of Tuesday's 3 p.m. CDT roster cutdown deadline.