Continuing with their offseason theme of change, the Kansas City Chiefs shocked the football world with the development of Wednesday’s Trent McDuffie trade. The 2024-25 AFC champions are sending their star cornerback to the Los Angeles Rams.
The blockbuster move undoubtedly leaves a void in the Kansas City secondary. With that said, it also presents general manager Brett Veach with some new opportunities.
Chiefs Armed With Plenty of 2026 NFL Draft Value Post-Trent McDuffie Trade
First and foremost, getting McDuffie’s fifth-year option off the books saves some money. As a former first-round pick, he was slated to make $13.6 million in guaranteed funds as a Chief in 2026-27. Parting ways with that deal helps get Kansas City further under the salary cap. Not inking the All-Pro defensive back to a long-term deal also frees up flexibility in future years.
Speaking of which, the real boon of trading McDuffie pertains to the 2026 NFL Draft. By picking up pick No. 29 overall from Los Angeles, the Chiefs own two first-round selections. They also gained fifth- and sixth-round picks in the process, giving Veach plenty of firepower to work with.
Can that be quantified? Warren Sharp of Sharp Football Analysis did his best to do so on Wednesday afternoon.
the #4 most draft capital of any team in 2026
the most draft capital for any Chiefs draft in almost 20 years (since 2008)
Per Sharp, Kansas City’s “total draft value” ranks fourth among all NFL teams ahead of April’s event. In the three years prior, they sat 24th (twice) and 30th. This offseason’s setup feels awfully similar to that of 2022, when the Chiefs traded star wideout Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins.
That ensuing campaign, the new-look team used a splendid 2022 NFL Draft haul to win its first of back-to-back Super Bowls. It’ll take a huge effort for Veach and company to replicate that in 2026-27, but this step opens the door for that possibility.
The Chiefs now have nine picks in the draft: two in the first round, a second-rounder, a third-rounder, a fourth-rounder, three fifth-rounders and a sixth-rounder.
Updated Look at Kansas City’s 2026 NFL Draft Positional Needs
The good news for the Chiefs is that although trading McDuffie opens a need for them, they now have more ammo to address their various other vacancies. The team undoubtedly needs talent at multiple positions, and that’s true regardless of offense or defense.
Eight position groups, in particular, come to mind. Ahead of free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft, let’s take a look at each of them, breaking everything up into three tiers.
Tier 1: RB, WR, DL
It’s become abundantly clear that the Isiah Pacheco–Kareem Hunt duo simply wasn’t cutting it in Kansas City. The team needs explosiveness in its run game, leading to names like Kenneth Walker and Travis Etienne being linked to the Chiefs. It’s expected that the Chiefs will monitor the free agent halfback pool closely.
At wide receiver, the trio of Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, Tyquan Thornton and JuJu Smith-Schuster is free agents. The one-two punch of Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy underwhelmed in 2025-26, and Rice’s future beyond this coming season is a bit murky.
George Karlaftis is a nice complement to Chris Jones, but the latter is aging. The Chiefs desperately need to use some of the McDuffie trade capital to consider adding a young, athletic pass rusher to their defensive front.
Tier 2: S, LB, CB
With Bryan Cook a free agent at safety, it’s unclear whether he can be afforded to re-sign. The same is true for Leo Chenal at linebacker, and Drue Tranquill remains a cap casualty candidate as free agency looms. Not having McDuffie on the books could help the Chiefs retain someone they didn’t previously think possible.
In the post-McDuffie world, Kansas City reportedly believes it can draft and develop a quality cornerback. Only time will tell whether that gamble will pay off. Jaylen Watson is also a free agent.
Tier 3: TE, OT
Tight end is a massive wild card. If Travis Kelce returns for another season, it’s a 2026-27 need. If not, the Chiefs’ passing attack could be drastically reshaped.
The left side of the offensive line seems set with rising rookie Josh Simmons looking to turn in a complete sophomore campaign. Jawaan Taylor is being released, but 2025 offseason pickup Jaylon Moore gives the Chiefs a potential fill-in for a year.
Chiefs Possess Tons of NFL Draft Ammo After Trent McDuffie Trade