The Los Angeles Rams have acquired All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs in a blockbuster trade, ESPN reported on Wednesday. The deal includes the Rams' 29th overall pick in this year's draft, with the Chiefs also receiving Los Angeles' fifth- and sixth-round selections this year and a third-round pick in 2027.
The trade addresses the Rams' biggest roster need, adding an elite cornerback to a secondary that ranked 19th in the NFL in pass defence last season. McDuffie, a two-time Super Bowl champion, was a first-team AP All-Pro in 2023 and a second-team selection in 2024. He has recorded three interceptions, 5.5 sacks, 34 quarterback pressures and eight forced fumbles in his four-year career.
McDuffie, a first-round pick in 2022, is entering the final year of his rookie contract and will earn $13.6m this season. The Rams are expected to work on a long-term extension. The Chiefs, constrained by salary cap commitments to Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones and others, could not afford to keep McDuffie beyond this season.
The trade is a homecoming for McDuffie, who grew up in the Los Angeles suburbs and played at St John Bosco High School. He later played at the University of Washington under Jimmy Lake, now the Rams' defensive backs coach. The Rams still hold the 13th overall pick in the 2026 draft and have salary cap room to accommodate a new contract for McDuffie.
