3 draft trade up scenarios that could reshape Chiefs first round

One thing we have learned over the years about Brett Veach, for better or worse, is that if he wants to get his guy in the draft, he has no problem trading up to do so. In past years, we have seen Brett Veach make a wide range of draft-day trades to move up for his guy, including first-round deals for Trent McDuffie and Xavier Worthy. Later in the draft, we have seen Veach move up for Kingsley Suamataia, Rashee Rice, Wanya Morris, Noah Gray, and Mecole Hardman.

With the recent trade of Trent McDuffie, Brett Veach has reloaded on draft capital and now has nine picks in the 2026 draft and plenty of capital to make a big draft-day trade. We know from years past that Brett Veach has no problem getting aggressive to land the player he wants, and I do not expect that to change this year. So, what opportunities might the Chiefs have to trade up in this year's draft?

1. Trading up to get the Commanders' spot

Chiefs trade: No. 9, No. 74
Commanders trade: No. 7

The Washington Commanders are severely short on draft capital and will likely be very active on the phone when they get on the clock at No. 7. Washington has only six picks in the 2026 draft and only two in the top 100, which they will almost certainly look to change. While the Chiefs may not be able to offer the volume of picks Adam Peters will be looking for, adding a top-100 pick as well as a second trade-down opportunity may be too much to pass up.

If the Chiefs were to make this move, it would be to both jump the Saints and prevent other teams from making a similar trade to leapfrog Kansas City. With this deal, the Chiefs would likely be targeting an edge rusher such as David Bailey, Rueben Bain, or Arvell Reese if he were to fall. It is possible they target a receiver like Carnell Tate, or even a superstar safety like Caleb Downs. Either way, Kansas City could use Washington's desire to add more draft capital to move up and get their guy.

2. Trading to get past Washington

Chiefs trade: No. 9, No. 74, No. 148
Browns trade: No. 6

This second scenario would likely only become a reality under two circumstances, the first being the Commanders not looking to trade out of the seventh pick. The Chiefs and Commanders have very similar needs, and both teams could look to target EDGE, WR, or even Caleb Downs. If the Chiefs love one player in that group more than the rest, they could look to jump Washington as a safety measure.

The second circumstance would be if the Chiefs felt they were outbid for the Commanders' pick at No. 7 and could pull off this exact deal with the Browns. If Brett Veach gets the idea that someone like the Dolphins or Ravens is making a push for the Commanders' pick, the Chiefs could look to move even higher. In my opinion, this deal would almost certainly be to target either Ruben Bain, Arvell Reece, or David Bailey to ensure they get their favorite pass rusher in the draft.

3. Swapping places with Dallas at No. 20

Chiefs trade: No. 29, No. 74
Cowboys trade: No. 20

Similar to the Chiefs, the Cowboys have two first-round picks, with No. 20 being the later of the two, and they do not pick again until No. 92. It is rare to see a 72-pick gap between selections this early in the draft, and it is more than likely the Cowboys will look to change that. Adding pick No. 74 would go a long way toward that goal.

For the Chiefs, this trade could serve several purposes, but in my opinion, it would likely be to land their favorite defensive lineman in the class. With the Chargers, Bears, Bills, 49ers, and Texans all ahead of them, the Chiefs could look to jump for defensive line help. If the Chiefs feel Peter Woods, Kayden McDonald, Keldric Faulk, or Akheem Mesidor could be game-changers, they will be interested in moving ahead of other teams in need of defensive line help.

This trade also could be used to jump the Eagles and Browns if one of the top receiver prospects starts to fall. Jordan Tyson is a player who many scouts feel could fall due to his extensive injury history, but if the Chiefs believe he is healthy, they may be willing to make a big offer to move up and land him. It feels unlikely that Kansas City will be picking at both No. 29 and No. 40, and the Cowboys feel like the Chiefs' best bet to make a jump in the middle of Day 1.