Chiefs Could Consider Trading Justin Fields as Garrett Nussmeier Continues to Impress

NFL teams have until Sunday to make their final cuts and determine their 53-man rosters, but the Kansas City Chiefs are dealing with a quarterback dilemma.

General manager Brett Veach traded for Justin Fields early in the offseason, planning to utilize him as Kansas City's backup signal-caller. Garrett Nussmeier's rise has thrown a wrench in those plans.

The Chiefs have historically employed a two-quarterback room on the 53-man roster, but the former LSU product is making that more complicated than usual. He has looked poised and NFL-ready in his two preseason appearances for the Chiefs, albeit in a pair of losses.

To make room for other position groups on the roster, could the Chiefs put Fields on the trade block in the next few days rather than utilizing an awkward three-quarterback approach?

Could Garrett Nussmeier’s Emergence Make Justin Fields Expendable?

Fields hasn't been terrible across K.C.'s pair of preseason contests, completing all four passes in the opener and finishing Week 2 with a 9-for-12, 64-yard stat line against the Buccaneers.

Kansas City knew what it was getting into when it acquired Fields. He owns a 16-37 record as an NFL starter, one of the worst winning percentages among quarterbacks with that many starts. Granted, there are quarterbacks who lasted longer in the league who didn't possess half the talent Fields has, but he's developed a tendency to make some inexplicable mistakes that you'd expect a veteran to have ironed out after nearly five years in the league.

Either way, operating with Fields as QB2 was always the expectation ― largely due to Mahomes' uncertain health ― until Nussmeier fell into the Chiefs' lap.

Aug 22, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (14) throws a pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third quarter during a preseason game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Nussmeier was once considered a potential first-round pick before an injury-marred senior season sent his draft stock plummeting. He fell to K.C. in the seventh round, giving the Chiefs an opportunity to take a low-risk flier on a quarterback who once carried much higher draft expectations.

The Chiefs may have secretly wished he didn't perform too well in the preseason, because now that his name is on the national radar, the Chiefs would be taking a significant risk by exposing him to waivers. Another quarterback-needy team will scoop him up in an instant if he hits the open market, making any chance of him signing to the Chiefs' practice squad incredibly slim.

The financials don't necessarily support Fields as a trade candidate, considering Kansas City is already responsible for $3 million of his 2026 salary. Nussmeier's base salary as a rookie is $1.125 million.

The logic behind this may be flawed, but it does make sense. Chris Oladokun is expected to remain on the practice squad this season as the QB3 or QB4 in waiting, and the reality is that Kansas City would be in serious trouble if Mahomes misses more time in 2026 and one of the backups has to step in for a few games.

History has shown that Fields simply isn't a winning NFL quarterback. Sure, there could be an interesting dynamic between him and Kenneth Walker in the option and zone-read game, but that's not going to win you football games in the AFC West.

Fields wouldn't command much of a trade return, as Kansas City only dealt a future sixth-round pick for him. He hasn't done anything in training camp or preseason to warrant more than another conditional draft selection.

However, if the Chiefs were to trade him and make Nussmeier their second-string, it would be to free up a spot on the 53-man for a roster bubble player who deserves it rather than an extra backup quarterback who would never see the field unless disaster struck.

When push comes to shove, Andy Reid will probably feel more confident starting Fields over Nussmeier in a regular season game simply because of his professional experience and veteran status. The question is whether the Chiefs are willing to bank on Mahomes' health for all 17 games or if they want to develop someone who could become his long-term backup for years to come. The alternative is sacrificing a worthy roster candidate at another position or risking Nussmeier getting snatched on the waiver wire.

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