The Los Angeles Rams made a huge blockbuster move this offseason, which has been quite par for the course, as they traded a draft haul for cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs.
McDuffie fit a longstanding need at cornerback, providing the Rams with an All-Pro caliber player when healthy. But there was quite the cost, both with the draft capital needed to acquire the cornerback and the contract they had to dole out for McDuffie.
With the 2026 NFL Draft here, let’s look at the trade
terms to see exactly what the Rams gave up and see who the Chiefs nabbed in exchange.
Original terms of the Trent McDuffie trade between Rams and Chiefs
- Los Angeles Rams receive: CB Trent McDuffie
- Kansas City Chiefs receive: 2026 first-round pick (No. 29), 2026 fifth-round pick (No. 169), 2026 sixth-round pick (No. 210), and 2027 third-round pick
How did the Rams improve in the Trent McDuffie trade?
The Rams are quite used to dealing first-round picks in blockbuster deals, and this one’s no different. With the window around quarterback Matthew Stafford dwindling, this was a true all-in move, which we saw reinforced by Los Angeles’s other offseason moves.
Los Angeles didn’t stop with McDuffie in its secondary overhaul, signing fellow Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson in free agency to a three-year, $51 million deal. They also didn’t lose much in free agency, keeping quite the core intact for the 2026 season.
McDuffie got a significant deal, averaging more than $30 million per season, and the Rams structure was interesting with the contract. The first two years are fully guaranteed ($50 million total), and McDuffie will have over a $30 million cap hit next year, while only having a $10.8 million cap hit in 2026.
Is it worth it? Yes, if you have the team around that type of deal, and the Rams absolutely do. They’re prime contenders for another Super Bowl in 2026, and this trade was the cherry on top.
They also hold their second and third-round picks in a draft where the middle rounds might be the strongest, so there should be quality talent there.
The trade will come down to how much the Rams can capitalize on a talent like McDuffie on their team. But they’ve drafted well and positioned themselves to be in a big all-in spot for 2026, allowing them to make such a move.
Who did the Chiefs draft with the Rams picks from the 2026 NFL Draft?
The Chiefs pick at 29 and we will update after they use the selection.
We published this article during the first round, but we will update when the two later picks are used.
How did Trent McDuffie play for the Chiefs in 2025?
In his fourth season with the Chiefs, McDuffie missed out on the Pro Bowl and an All-Pro selection, as he played in just 13 games while dealing with injury. Still, he had 63 tackles, seven pass breakups, and an interception, according to Pro Football Reference.
While the counting stats may not have jumped off the page, McDuffie was still quite effective as a press coverage defender until his season was cut short during Week 14. The two years prior, McDuffie was an All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection, and he’s only entering his age-26 season in 2026.
