One of the biggest questions of the 2026 offseason for the Kansas City Chiefs is what they will do with star cornerback Trent McDuffie.
After picking up his fifth-year option last offseason, McDuffie still has one year remaining on his rookie contract. The Chiefs could let him play it out, but would risk losing him with nothing in return when he hits the open market in 2027. If they ultimately decide to extend him, his price tag will likely increase the longer they wait.
McDuffie has been one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL since his rookie year in 2022. He was named an All-Pro in 2023 and 2024, and had another solid season in 2025 until a knee injury that he sustained late in the year landed him on injured reserve. McDuffie has recorded 246 total tackles, 5.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles, three interceptions, and 34 passes defended during his four-year career.
Kansas City Chiefs Will Have to Hand out Another Mega-Contract to Keep Trent McDuffie
Our friend Jesse Newell of The Athletic revealed several things he heard regarding how the Chiefs will attack the offseason on Monday. Among them was the latest on McDuffie.
“The Chiefs love McDuffie,” Newell wrote. “He’s been excellent for the team on the field and off, serving as a leader of the secondary and a standard for the work ethic they hope their players emulate. It won’t be easy to re-sign him, though.
“The Chiefs have recently re-signed many of their drafted players to lucrative contracts, and the cornerback market has exploded, meaning it’s likely that McDuffie’s ask as a top-tier player could be somewhere in the $30-million-a-year range.”
The Chiefs seem to be torn between wanting to keep an elite player at an important position, but have already given out several huge deals to their other top stars. They also have several other roster holes to fill at positions such as defensive line, running back, and wide receiver.
Resolution Between Chiefs and Trent McDuffie Is Expected Sooner Than Later
GettyKansas City Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie
Newell believes that how free agency plays out could dictate whether or not McDuffie stays in Kansas City for the long-term.
“In an ideal world, they’d probably love to get through free agency, see how much financial flexibility remains, then get back to McDuffie’s people to see if they can work something out.” Newell wrote. “More likely, though? McDuffie’s agency will want a resolution sooner than that to ensure that other teams looking to acquire McDuffie have the financial means to do so.
“This much seems clear: K.C. won’t want McDuffie to simply play out the final year of his current contract. He’ll either be signed to an extension or the team will make the difficult decision to trade him while recouping draft resources.”
Although they would be losing a premium player, the Chiefs need extra draft capitol and salary cap space to retool their roster following a disappointing 6-11 season. Keeping McDuffie really comes down to whether or not Kansas City believes it can jump right back into contention in 2026. If not, trading him ahead of the draft is the logical solution.
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