Two New Chiefs Trade Targets Suddenly Emerge Before Deadline
By Joe Summers
A pair of exciting potential Chiefs trade targets just emerged following the restructuring of Jawaan Taylor's contract to free up over $5 million in cap space. Kansas City already added WR DeAndre Hopkins but may not be done yet.
NFL insider Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated suggested that four-time Pro Bowl Saints CB Marshon Lattimore and All-Pro Browns DE Za'Darius Smith are possible options. Both carry a modest cap hit of just $1.2 million for the rest of the year and would make the Chiefs' greatest strength even stronger.
If New Orleans or Cleveland are willing to make a deal, either player could put Kansas City's roster over the top.
Chiefs Suddenly Can Pursue Pair of Pro Bowl Defenders
According to @spotrac, after the #Chiefs restructured the contract of OT Jawaan Taylor, and considering that D-Hop has a cap hit of $3.2M, the Chiefs currently have about $5M in cap space remaining.
— P-Mac McGruder (@ChiefsFan4Lyfe) October 25, 2024
This gives them enough flexibility to pursue another move for a more affordable… pic.twitter.com/0oI56Vl3PR
It's unclear whether or not the two players are available from their respective teams, though it wouldn't make much sense for either organization to play hardball.
Neither team has any hope of making the playoffs and with messy cap situations moving forward, why not recoup some value for pieces that'll likely depart this offseason anyway? Theoretically, the Chiefs could trade for both Smith and Lattimore, though the required compensation likely indicates only one move is realistic.
Throwback to that time Mike Evans was salty he had 0 catches against Marshon Lattimore #Saints pic.twitter.com/fWUVqhGEnz
— Valente ⚜️ #WhoDat #FireDennisAllen (@VTalksSaints) October 23, 2024
Lattimore is still a fierce cornerback fully capable of filling the injured Jaylen Watson's shoes. He's surrendered only a 68.5 passer rating when targeted in coverage. Alongside Trent McDuffie, he'd once again give Kansas City the league's best secondary.
Meanwhile, Smith has four sacks in seven games and is widely considered to be one of the premier pass-rushers in this league. Putting him next to Chris Jones and George Karlaftis would be terrifying for opponents, not to mention the impending return of Charles Omenihu.
No matter what direction the Chiefs go, they've got excellent options. Whether you want the steak or the salmon, you'll be happy either way. Thankfully for Kansas City, all options are on the menu.
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