The Chiefs determined at some point during the NFL Scouting Combine last week they couldn’t squeeze McDuffie’s asking price under the salary cap, or at least not without mortgaging the future window. McDuffie is likely to be paid north of $30 million annually in L.A., per multiple reports. Even after the trade, the Rams actually still have slightly more 2026 cap space than the Chiefs, though that’s subject to change based on the format of the extension.
But the money is just the start.
As the Chiefs explored the potential trade market for McDuffie, a trade partner logically had to fulfill three requirements:
A need at cornerback
Cap space to pay him $30 million annually
A win-now priority
That narrowed the field considerably, particularly the last item. The teams trying to rebuild prefer to use draft picks to accomplish it, rather than trading multiple selections for one player. It’s not about the player. It’s about the process of building. Thus, eventually the McDuffie talks came down two teams, per sources: the Rams and the Giants.
