Four minor trades for Kansas City Chiefs to consider
By Matt Conner
The Kansas City Chiefs might be done making major moves to the roster, but there are some minor deals that could help the team in multiple ways.
Yes, it is possible that the Kansas City Chiefs still have some major moves up their sleeve. Even after signing Justin Reid, trading Tyreek Hill, waving goodbye to Tyrann Mathieu, and drafting 10 prospects, some fans would love to see another big move or two in the name of roster improvement. While that always sounds wonderful, the truth is that it takes two to tango on a trade and it’s hard to piece things together for another blockbuster this time of year.
Don’t be dismayed, however, if you’re hoping for more moves. The NFL preseason is a prime time for those smaller swaps that can often bear fruit down the road. Remember the Chiefs traded Parker Ehinger for Charvarius Ward and reaped four years of quality corner play.
In the spirit of discussion, we’ve got a few minor trade proposals of our own here for the Chiefs to consider. None of these will break the bank either way. Some of them are about the Chiefs gaining some new talent and others are about clearing roster space. Both types of deals are important, which is why we propose them here. In fact, let’s start with one of the latter.
THE ‘CLEAR OUT THE OFFENSIVE INTERIOR’ TRADE
Chiefs trade: OL Austin Reiter, 7th round choice in 2023
49ers trade: 6th round choice in 2023
It might be unfair for the Chiefs to ship Austin Reiter off to another team so soon after signing him this offseason, but the truth is that there’s really not a great need for him on the roster as presently constructed. It’s also true that a veteran with championship experience could be a welcome addition for the San Francisco 49ers.
The Chiefs decided to bring back Reiter this offseason after a year away from the team, in which he spent time trying his best to find a backup role somewhere. Reiter landed on the New Orleans Saints practice squad before finally finding a fill-in role with the Miami Dolphins. Now back with the Chiefs, he could be slotted in right behind Creed Humphrey as veteran insurance like Austin Blythe a year ago.
However, there are far more interesting players with regard to the Chiefs’ future than Reiter, and they also come with the versatility to help at more than one spot. Joe Thuney can slide over to center in a pinch. Nick Allegretti was a longtime starter at the position in college. Undrafted free agent Mike Caliendo can play any interior spot after starring at Western Michigan these last few years. It’s likely safe to assume Andrew Wylie could sub in there as well.
Reiter might be a more reliable option than any of those given that he has years of experience actually hiking the ball to Patrick Mahomes, but there’s no ceiling here in a year where the Chiefs could find more utility for Allegretti or unearth a gem in Caliendo.
As for the Niners, Alex Mack retired this spring to no one’s surprise, but the Niners lack an obvious anchor to replace him. Guard Daniel Brunskill slid over to center down the stretch rather forgettably. Jake Brendel is likely the best in-house option, but he’s a career journeyman who couldn’t hold off Brunskill.
Given that Trey Lance might need some experience in the middle, Reiter would provide the Niners with someone who has played with the likes of Mahomes with deep postseason experience. It would also cost the Niners a minimal amount to add a disproportional share of security—a win for both teams.