Oftentimes the hardest decisions in life are the most important. The Chiefs learned this in 2022. And now, they’re drawing from the same playbook to act on the lesson they learned four years later.
On Wednesday, general manager Brett Veach did something he would have preferred to avoid, trading All-Pro corner Trent McDuffie to the Rams for a quartet of NFL draft picks, including first-, fifth- and sixth-round choices this April, and a 2027 third-rounder.
The thought process at One Arrowhead Drive was straightforward. According to sources, Kansas City felt paying McDuffie at least $30 million per year was too rich for its current situation, given its need to add talent and depth on offense and defense. And by trading McDuffie, the Chiefs saved at least $90 million in guaranteed money, which can be distributed elsewhere while also gaining $13 million in immediate cap space. Kansas City has also informed right tackle Jawaan Taylor that it plans to release him, creating another $20 million in space.
The haul for McDuffie is eerily similar to what Veach received the last time he dealt away a homegrown All-Pro, something which isn’t lost on the team.
In 2022, coming off an AFC championship game defeat and facing the prospect of rebuilding a defense that had gotten older and more expensive with players such as Anthony Hitchens, Tyrann Mathieu and Frank Clark, Veach stunned the league by sending wideout Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins for a ’22 first-round pick (No. 29), a ’22 second-round pick (No. 50), a ’22 fourth-round pick, and ’23 fourth- and sixth-round picks, allowing them to reset on the fly.
The result? Kansas City won the next two Super Bowls and reached a third, primarily because the defense was rebuilt with the cap space and draft capital from the Hill trade.
One of those two first-round picks Kansas City had in 2022? McDuffie.
The Chiefs loaded up defensively in that class, selecting McDuffie and edge rusher George Karlaftis in the first round before nabbing safety Bryan Cook and linebacker Leo Chenal on Day 2. In the fourth round, Veach selected corner Joshua Williams before selecting stud corner Jaylen Watson, giving the Chiefs six rookie defenders who played critical roles on those championship teams.
Chiefs' offense needs help
Fast-forward, and Kansas City now needs to rebuild its offense.
The Chiefs have made personnel blunders on that side, particularly with their skill-position talent. Since trading Hill, Kansas City hasn’t had a single 1,000-yard wide receiver or running back. It’s had limited success with players such as Isiah Pacheco in the backfield and JuJu Smith-Schuster on the perimeter. However, there have been ample misses, too, including wideouts Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney and the ultra-talented but much-maligned Rashee Rice, who will likely be playing his last year with the Chiefs.
This offseason, Kansas City currently sits at $26 million in cap space (after the Taylor release) and could nearly double that figure with the potential releases of veteran linebacker Drue Tranquill ($6 million), tight end Noah Gray ($3.9 million) and a small restructure of Karlaftis ($10 million), who signed a four-year extension last summer.
Should Veach go that route, he could and should be aggressive in landing a premium running back such as Travis Etienne Jr. or Kenneth Walker III, along with exploring options at wideout and edge rusher.
Why the draft picks are so important
Of course, nothing matters more than the picks, both given and acquired. For the Chiefs, the Hill trade worked because they nailed the 2022 draft, finding value and talent in almost every round. And while Karlaftis might be the only player who receives a second contract from that group (Cook, Watson and Chenal all could but are slated for free agency), it’s a class that helped turn the Chiefs from champions into a dynasty.
It’s also worth noting the organization’s faith in 54-year-old defensive backs coach Dave Merritt, who has been with Kansas City since 2019 and has been integral in developing those aforementioned youngsters, along with McDuffie himself. While losing McDuffie will hurt, in-house talent such as Nohl Williams can help fill the void, especially if Cook and/or Watson are retained.
Last season, the bottom fell out for Veach and the Chiefs. Mahomes tore his ACL and LCL, and Kansas City finished 6–11 after reaching seven consecutive AFC title games, and five Super Bowls. For years, the Chiefs tried to patch holes and keep the proverbial ship afloat, vying for one title after another.
With the worst campaign of Andy Reid’s tenure fresh in the rearview, people inside the building believe the time to reload is now. If trading McDuffie represents anything, it’s the belief that Kansas City can start anew as Mahomes enters his age-31 season, providing him with the necessary supporting cast to make another run.
On Wednesday morning, Brett Veach made a tough decision. If he hits on his draft picks and spends wisely in free agency, it will once again be one of his finest.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as The Chiefs' Trade of Trent McDuffie Is a Repeat of Another Major Move.
