MIKE DANIELS
Why the Chiefs would be interested: It wasn’t too long ago that the Kansas City Chiefs were among the teams with rumored interest in trading for Mike Daniels, a productive defensive tackle with a penchant for getting to the passer from the interior. Daniels, at the time, was ready to be a cap casualty for the Green Bay Packers and rumors were circling that some AFC contender was ready to swoop in—a list that also included the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots.
In the end, no teams were willing to pay the Packers for a guy they knew was likely to be released in the end. Daniels ended up making a short free agent tour that began in Cleveland but ended at his next stop: with the Detroit Lions.
Unfortunately for both sides, Daniels has been injured since Week 3 and a line that was supposed to be among the NFL’s deepest and most dangerous hasn’t had a real chance to come together to show what they can do. Injuries to Hand, which we’ve already discussed, and Daniels have kept the group from developing any chemistry and even those who are healthy haven’t looked as good as expected. If the Lions sell, Daniels becomes an obvious trade asset as a veteran with a half-season left on his deal trying to get healthy.
For the Chiefs, Daniels would be a proven product (again, if healthy) at a position where they’ve already lost a few players for a considerable amount of time.
Potential Cost: This would be the backup play for both the Lions and the Chiefs. If the Lions didn’t want to admit defeat in late October yet they wanted to at least get something for the future, trading Daniels instead of Robinson would be the choice. If the Chiefs wanted to bolster the line without breaking the bank, they would aim for the same. A 5th round pick makes sense here for both sides.