KC Chiefs trade ideas: Derek Barnett, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and more
By Matt Conner
Trade Candidate: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif
This is less about trading for something to meet a need and instead about trading away something in a sell-high sort of maneuver.
Check out the following post concerning the trade market or availability in general of quality offensive linemen around the league right now.
Scott Fitterer says he's called teams about offensive linemen and no one's budging, even with some of their backups.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) October 6, 2021
The Carolina Panthers general manager is who Scott Fitterer is, but he’s hardly the only shopper at the position. The Eagles have been down several linemen. The Chicago Bears, the Las Vegas Raiders, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Denver Broncos—basically a quarter of the NFL right now would probably appreciate any team offering up some depth for the offensive front given the way injuries have been taking their toll for certain teams.
Now, the Chiefs went through this just last year and there’s a reason why the Chiefs stocked up like they did. After playing with numerous backups in the biggest game of the season, it makes sense that the Chiefs would hold on to any depth they have. Injuries are unpredictable and a team can go from well-stocked to needy rather quickly.
But at this point, the Chiefs have Andrew Wylie, Austin Blythe, Nick Allegretti, and Mike Remmers active each week to back up the starting five up front. That leaves Laurent Duvernay-Tardif inactive as a healthy scratch game after game despite being a starting right guard for years before opting out of the 2020 season. He has value and the Chiefs are just sitting on LDT’s ability as a sort of “in case of emergency” setting.
Let’s not forget that Kyle Long is going to want to come off of the Physically Unable to Perform list or that the team also has practice squad players like Prince Tega Wanogho or Darryl Williams. Yeah that’s even more linemen who have been around, know the system, and could step up in a pinch if needed.
Things might start to fall apart for the Chiefs line at some point like it did las season, but it’s doubtful that it will happen in a way that requires all hands on deck like last season. If that’s true and the Chiefs could garner a future draft asset, then why not let Duverny-Tardif walk and earn some real playing time elsewhere.