What if the Chiefs traded for Buffalo Bills LB Reggie Ragland?
By Matt Conner
Why a Ragland trade makes sense
From the Buffalo Bills’ perspective:
It’s important to note that they’re in a seller’s mode, overall. They’re not outright tanking, as illustrated by their moves to get some actual player assets back in recent deals—getting wide receiver Jordan Matthews for defensive back Ron Darby and cornerback E.J. Gaines for wideout Sammy Watkins. But they are definitely collecting draft assets for the future, and that’s why this could make sense for them.
Ragland sat all of his rookie season with a torn ACL suffered during the first week of training camp, which means no one really knows what they’re working with. There’s also reasons to project low at this point, considering the injury history and the fact that Ragland somehow can’t break into the starting line-up on a team desperate for defensive (and offensive) playmakers. In fact, the Bills have been serious buyers for free agent linebackers this offseason, including Gerald Hodges, formerly of the 49ers, and Sam Barrington, formerly of the Packers and Chiefs.
The current leadership regime for the Bills was also not in place when drafting Ragland. Brandon Beane is the team’s new general manager, and he was assistant GM for the Carolina Panthers when the Bills turned in a card with Ragland’s name on it. There’s no loyalty or investment here, which often makes it easier for a turn to flip an asset.
From the Kansas City Chiefs’ perspective:
Brett Veach, Kansas City’s GM, has already pulled off one trade to buy low on a prospect he clearly held in higher regard than his colleagues in Seattle did when he traded for linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis. Perhaps the ability to get another once highly regarded prospect at point when his stock is low and his team is in sell-now mode could be the perfect time to strike.
Ragland is a proven thumper against the run and can even get after the passer. He’s also a fearless tackler, team leader and a hard worker. Questions about his cover skills could cloud his stock, but if the Chiefs wanted to upgrade next to Derrick Johnson in the team’s base defense, it could be worth a look. It all just likely depends on whether Ragland was high on Veach’s list coming into the 2016 NFL Draft and what the Bills would likely want.