KC Chiefs trade Laurent Duvernay-Tardif in order to create cap space

The Kansas City Chiefs were able to create a bit more cap space with the trade of Laurent Duvernay-Tardif to the New York Jets shortly before the NFL’s trade deadline on Tuesday afternoon.

According to Herbie Teope of the Kansas City Star, the Chiefs were able to pick up a veteran tight end in Dan Brown in exchange for the veteran guard, but the move also gives the Chiefs another cool million in salary-cap space—an important amount for a team that’s been playing it tight all season long.

As for the deal itself, it holds very minor consequences for the on-field product at Arrowhead Stadium this season. Duvernay-Tardif has been a healthy scratch every week so far this year except for this past week, so trading an inactive veteran for a bit more cash is always a solid move if it doesn’t affect the long-term depth and security.

The Chiefs save $1 million by trading Laurent Duvernay-Tardif to the Jets.

Fortunately for the Chiefs, they remain very set upfront given that LDT held down the right guard spot for years, a position now manned by rookie Trey Smith. Behind him, the team has Mike Remmers, Nick Allegretti, Austin Blythe, and Kyle Long as potential options to help in case of an issue or injury.

The bigger story here, however, is that it ends LDT’s tenure with the Chiefs, which means a new chapter for one of the NFL’s truly greatest humanitarians and most interesting stories. Duvernay-Tardif was a longshot college prospect out of McGill in Montreal on whom the Chiefs took a flyer in the sixth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. The Chiefs struck gold in that same round with Zach Fulton out of Tennessee as well, giving them two solid starters along the o-line in the same latter round of the draft.

Duvernay-Tardif went on to complete medical school in the offseasons while retaining his starting spot for the Chiefs. He was even given a lucrative extension by then-GM John Dorsey as a reward for his development. After opting out last season to serve on the front lines back in Canada with other medical personnel working to treat COVID patients, he returned this season to resume his career. However, his time away and the Chiefs’ efforts to completely rebuild the line led to him losing his role.