The Chiefs extended two members of their 2022 draft class already this summer, and according to ESPN’s Nate Taylor, they’re hoping for a third agreement — with cornerback Trent McDuffie — before Week 1.
Negotiating a new contract with McDuffie will force the Chiefs to wade into a cornerback market they have largely avoided in recent years. They let Charvarius Ward leave in free agency in 2022 and traded L’Jarius Sneed to the Titans last offseason rather than sign him to an extension. While Kansas City did sign Kristian Fulton to a two-year, $20MM deal this offseason, the rest of their cornerback room is largely made up of recent Day 3 picks.
The Chiefs seem more inclined to keep McDuffie after a stellar start to his NFL career. They traded up to the No. 21 pick to draft him in 2022, and he has since developed into one of the league’s best cornerbacks. He earned a first-team All-Pro nod in 2023 while playing primarily in the slot with seven passes defended, five forced fumbles, four tackles for loss, and three sacks. The former Washington Husky earned a second-team All-Pro berth for his efforts with his first two interceptions and 13 passes defended, but he fewer impact plays after moving to the boundary full-time.
Extending McDuffie will be a costly proposition after cornerback pay exploded this offseason. Fellow 2022 first-rounders Sauce Gardner and Derek Stingley both reached $30MM per year on their new contracts, and McDuffie will likely be demanding a similar sum. He missed six games due to injury as a rookie but has been healthy since, giving him a better record of availability compared to Stingley. McDuffie also put up a stronger 2024 season than Gardner in several categories, which should position him for a $30MM APY extension.
That will likely be the number required to get a deal done before the regular season starts. The Chiefs already picked up McDuffie’s fifth-year option for 2026 (worth $13.6MM), giving them a long runway to agree on terms before they worry about losing their star corner.