Deadlines make deals.
For the NFL, this year’s trade deadline is on Nov. 1 (the Tuesday after Week 8). Every year, a flurry of moves is made as teams try to improve for the season’s stretch run. The Kansas City Chiefs are no stranger to an in-season acquisition and are in a solid position to make another one this year.
Travis Kelce restructuring his contract Tuesday freed up some cap space for Brett Veach to make a move to improve the Chiefs’ roster. In the spirit of that, let’s take a look at some players that Kansas City could potentially benefit from pursuing at or near this year’s deadline.
Big Swings
Typically, big names or star-level players don’t get traded at the deadline. They come with a big salary and trade price that most teams are not comfortable giving up in the middle of the season. However, at last year’s deadline, the Los Angeles Rams traded a second- and third-round pick for Von Miller. Miller ultimately helped them win the Super Bowl. The hot name floating around this year in the pass-rush department is Brian Burns.
Burns is on a terrible Carolina Panthers team that fired its coach and is headed for the number one pick. Only in his fourth season, Burns is already one of the best pass rushers in the league. He is under contract for the 2023 season, but the Chiefs would presumably give him an extension if they added him soon. Burns would instantly become the second-best pass rusher on the Chiefs and be a good long-term pairing with George Karlaftis. Another name that hasn’t been mentioned a lot but the Chiefs should keep an eye on is Daron Payne.
Realistic Trades
This is the category that Melvin Ingram would have fit into last year. Usually, trade deadline moves are for rotational pieces at cheap draft costs. That’s precisely what Ingram was, as the Chiefs sent a sixth-rounder back to Pittsburgh in exchange for him. Ingram provided much-needed help to Kansas City’s pass rush, and there are players out there who could offer a similar impact to what Ingram brought last year.
These realistic options usually come from teams that know they are bad and want to collect more draft capital for the upcoming drafts. The organizations that the Chiefs should be looking at include the Houston Texans, Washington Commanders, Chicago Bears and the aforementioned Panthers. Here is a list of options Kansas City could potentially be looking at to add:
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- Jerry Hughes (Texans)
- Maliek Collins (Texans)
- Rasheem Green (Texans)
- Efe Obada (Commanders)
- Matt Ioannidis (Panthers)
- Robert Quinn (Bears)
Sep 19, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Bears linebacker Robert Quinn (94) celebrates after sacking Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) during the first quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Jon Durr-USA TODAY Sports
The name that will pop out the most is Robert Quinn. Quinn has been a very productive player throughout his 12-year NFL career. In 2021, he had 18 sacks but has returned to earth in the early part of 2022. With the Bears clearly in rebuild mode and old friend Ryan Poles at the helm, there is a realistic avenue for Quinn to be traded to Kansas City.
After Quinn, the other names on the list are solid pieces that can provide a spark. Hughes is off to a scorching start, as he has four sacks in five games. He is someone who could be moved from a “tanking” franchise to a contender. Ioannidis is in a similar situation. He has the ability to get to the passer as well as stop the run and would create a scary tandem being paired with Chirs Jones on the interior.
Free Agents
There aren’t many quality options out there in free agency. By this point, those who will make a difference are all signed and on a roster. However, Odell Beckham Jr. is still available on the market due to his ongoing ACL recovery. Recently, the rumors linking Beckham to the Chiefs have been heating up.
Adding Beckham to what is already one of the best offenses in the NFL would be an excellent acquisition. He would provide something that the Chiefs’ offense is lacking. In 2022, Kansas City is seeing more man coverage than any other team in the NFL, primarily due to the departure of Tyreek Hill. Opposing teams don’t believe the Chiefs’ wide receivers can consistently line up and beat their cornerbacks.
As mentioned, health is a concern with Beckham due to the knee injury in last season’s Super Bowl. When healthy, though, he can beat man coverage. His quick release and speed make it difficult for opponents to continue playing man against this Chiefs offense. Beckham would step right into the Chiefs’ wideout No. 1 spot and be the second overall option behind Travis Kelce. Adding him would also help the likes of JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Mecole Hardman, not having to carry the load.
Beckham is probably the lone offensive free agent that would be appealing for the Chiefs to add. However, looking at the defensive side, there could be multiple players of interest to Kansas City. Ndamukong Suh, Brandon Williams and Lival Joseph are a few names that come to mind that could add something to the Chiefs’ defensive line.
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