The Kansas City Chiefs were clearly head over heels for first-round rookie cornerback Mansoor Delane. They went out of their way to get him — just like the club nearly allowed the Dallas Cowboys to do for safety Caleb Downs.
Downs was "at the top" of a list of four guys the Cowboys "targeted," according to head coach Brian Schottenheimer, via the Twins Take podcast. They even "had a trade in place" with the Chiefs to climb the board for the former Ohio State star.
Of course, no deal materialized, and the rest is history. Kansas City ultimately went in a completely different direction and leapfrogged a few teams, albeit to take Delane at the sixth slot in the 2026 NFL Draft. Dallas jumped up one spot to make sure they got Downs out of fear that someone else might do the same.
However, Schottenheimer's comments present a fun thought exercise. Let's explore what the Chiefs could have gotten for moving backward instead of forward and live in that alternate universe for just a moment.
Chiefs' near-draft trade with Cowboys creates fascinating alternate reality
Kansas City pulled off a swap that gives us context for what a swap with the Cowboys may have looked like. The Chiefs sent pick Nos. 9, 74 and 148 to the Cleveland Browns for the right to call Delane's name, so that's a starting point.
Considering Dallas was trying to vault up to No. 6 all the way from No. 12, it probably would've taken more than third- and fifth-round sweeteners. Perhaps Kansas City had a chance to snag a future first- or second-rounder, and possibly additional assets.
In 2023, the Houston Texans sent the Nos. 12 and 33 selections, plus a 2024 first- and third-rounder to the Arizona Cardinals. That's what it took to catapult into the top 10 and choose superstar pass-rusher Will Anderson.
Say the Chiefs got a massive haul from a Cowboys squad that had its sights set on Downs, then what? Ideally, Delane's still available, though the New Orleans Saints were reportedly lurking.
New Orleans rolling with Delane opens a Pandora's box of possibilities. Does Kansas City pivot to another defender or change the calculus entirely? For what it's worth, there was a solid run on offensive players after the LSU product landed with the Chiefs.
Jordyn Tyson is sitting there for K.C. in this hypothetical scenario, as is tight end Kenyon Sadiq. Both offer appeal as promising young playmakers for all-world quarterback Patrick Mahomes, with the latter also notably providing a clear-cut Travis Kelce succession plan.
Is Downs an option for the Chiefs in a shocking twist for Dallas? He's a versatile chess piece who can play corner, nickel or linebacker.
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