Kansas City Chiefs Trade Trent McDuffie To Los Angeles Rams To Clear Cap Space

The Kansas City Chiefs have traded Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams for four draft picks.

The Rams gave up their 2026 first-round, fifth-round and sixth-round picks, along with a third-round pick in 2027. 

The Rams had the No. 10 defense last season. Their defense was led by linebackers Jared Verse and Bryon Young. Trading for McDuffie will help make up for the loss of cornerback Cobie Durant, who will enter free agency this offseason.  

In Kansas City, McDuffie played under a very aggressive scheme under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Spagnuolo looks to put pressure on the quarterback and limit the run game. Chris Shula’s defensive scheme is different, but does have some similarities. Spagnuolo and Shula both utilize pre-snap decoys to throw off opposing offenses. Shula’s defensive scheme is known for being versatile, which should make it easier for McDuffie to fit in.

McDuffie was a big reason that the Chiefs had the No. 6 defense in the league. The Chiefs want to improve their offense, which was No. 21 in the league last season. Even after restructuring the contract of Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs still faced a very difficult cap situation. 

The Chiefs exercised McDuffie’s team option for 2026, which is worth $13 million. According to Over The Cap, this trade puts them out of their cap deficit. This means they’ll be able to afford to make improvements to the roster. 

The Chiefs will need to rely on Christian Roland-Wallace and Kevin Knowles at the cornerback position. Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams are free agents this offseason. 

Although the cap situation is still tight, the Chiefs have some money to make some additions. The Chiefs are looking to add a running back, offensive lineman and defensive lineman depth. Franchise legend Travis Kelce is currently not under contract.