The Los Angeles Rams are jumping the gun on improving their roster by pulling off a blockbuster trade days before free agency.
The NFC runners-up are acquiring cornerback Trent McDuffie in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs, USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon has confirmed. Kansas City will receive the Rams’ No. 29 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, as well as two Day 3 picks and a 2027 draft pick. The trade will be finalized when the new league year begins on March 11.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report the news of the transaction on March 4.
McDuffie, 25, is entering his fifth NFL season and the final year of his rookie contract. Since the Chiefs drafted McDuffie in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, he’s earned one first-team All-Pro nod in 2023 and a second-team All-Pro honor in 2024.
In 2025, the Washington product recorded 63 tackles, seven pass defenses and an interception. A knee injury near the end of the year landed McDuffie on season-ending injured reserve after Week 14.
The Rams ranked 19th in the NFL with 216.7 average passing yards allowed per game in 2025. With safety Kamren Curl and cornerback Cobie Durant set to hit free agency next week, Los Angeles is getting a head start on improving their secondary by trading for McDuffie.
Trent McDuffie trade details
Full trade compensation has been determined, according to ESPN’s Schefter. Here’s what each team receives in the trade:
Rams receive:
CB Trent McDuffie
Chiefs receive:
2026 first-round pick (No. 29 overall)
2026 fifth-round pick
2026 sixth-round pick
2027 third-round pick
Trent McDuffie stats
2025:
Games (starts): 13 (13)
Tackles (for a loss): 63 (2)
Passes defensed: 7
Interceptions: 1
Sacks: 1
Forced fumbles: 1
Career:
Games (starts): 56 (56)
Tackles (for a loss): 246 (12)
Passes defensed: 34
Interceptions: 3
Sacks: 5.5
Forced fumbles: 8
Patrick Mahomes reacts to Trent McDuffie trade
Mahomes, the Chiefs’ superstar quarterback, had a one-word reaction to the news that McDuffie had been traded to the Rams.
‘Damn,’ Mahomes wrote on social media site X.
The Chiefs’ quarterback is in the process of rehabbing from a knee injury – ACL and LCL tears – that ended his 2025 season early. Mahomes is also coming off of a season that featured several career-worst marks since he became Kansas City’s starter in 2018, including passing yards (3,587), completion rate (62.7%) and touchdown passes (22).
Kansas City has several pass-catchers hitting free agency next week, including tight end Travis Kelce and wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Hollywood Brown. After trading away McDuffie, the Chiefs have extra draft capital it could use to bolster its passing offense in time for Mahomes’ return in 2026.
