KC Chiefs need to watch cap flexibility at NFL’s trade deadline

The Kansas City Chiefs could be buyers ahead of tomorrow’s NFL trade deadline. But, a splashy move will not sabotage their 2023 plans.

The NFL trade deadline is approaching on Tuesday afternoon, and the Kansas City Chiefs stand to be buyers. Well, they already have, at least.

Things have been quiet for the Chiefs since trading for wide receiver Kadarius Toney. They did reach out to the Jacksonville Jaguars about defensive end Josh Allen, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. But, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach’s unwillingness to deal Kansas City’s 2023 first-round selection will likely prevent any young, top-tier pass rushers, including Carolina Panthers defensive end Brian Burns, from coming to Kansas City. In the interest of long-term plans, that might not be a bad thing, though.

Toney’s acquisition has a clear place in the team’s long-term plans. Wide receiver Mecole Hardman is a free agent after this season, and the Chiefs would have to pay his replacement anyway. Now, they have a player with two years remaining on a rookie deal with elite athletic ability. Toney has the physical attributes to replace Hardman on the field and a very affordable contract. It takes a mutually beneficial situation to make any trade. That situation is harder to find on the defensive end market.

There are tiers to the market, ranging from immediately impactful players to rotational depth pieces. The Chiefs are more likely to buy into the latter, giving up little draft capital but also not sacrificing their future financial space. The Chiefs have several pending free agents, including wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. For example, a popular trade candidate is New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan. If the Chiefs traded for Jordan, he currently has enormous cap hits in 2023 and 2024. Would Veach be willing to trade away not only draft picks but most of his cap flexibility next year? Likely not.

The point is, the Chiefs could move for an uninspiring but affordable addition ahead of the trade deadline. Players like Saints defensive end Marcus Davenport, Houston Texans defensive end Jerry Hughes, or Jaguars defensive end Dawuane Smoot all make financial sense for the Chiefs. Not only that, but they would likely only require late-round draft picks. The Chiefs are flush with those picks, having eight selections after the third round.

We all want the Chiefs to make a big, game-changing move. Having Allen or Burns would be a big boost for Kansas City in 2022 and beyond. But, the Chiefs once took this approach with defensive end Frank Clark. Veach might be hesitant to try a similar move, seeing how Clark’s performance did not live up to his contract. Trading for a depth piece is a safer, cheaper, and more likely option for Kansas City ahead of today’s deadline.