Chiefs Would Be Perfect Landing Spot for a Veteran Defensive Star

Kansas City Chiefs could be looking to trade their draft picks for a top talent.

Oct 6, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images | Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

Kansas City could be in the mix for a top defensive player this offseason. Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence has requested a trade from his team, and the Chiefs could be a possible destination.

Alongside current Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, the interior line would take a major jump this next season. Lawrence is rated as one of the best defensive linemen, so Kansas City could have to give up quite a haul to get him.

Oct 26, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence (97) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Of course, the current salary cap may cause some problems, but General Manager Brett Veach has the means to take the risk. The Chiefs have plenty of picks this upcoming draft, so the team could give the Giants some value for draft night later this month.

Kansas City has currently been in talks around the league of possibly trading their ninth pick and moving up to get a top edge rusher. Stars like David Bailey, Rueben Bain Jr., and Keldric Faulk are all guys that could be worth the risk. The Chiefs need a guy that can be a threat to opposing offensive lines, so it could be worth mentioning the idea of going after a veteran rather than risking a top pick on an edge rusher.

Oct 6, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) celebrates following a sack against the Seattle Seahawks during the second quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Lawrence has been rated highly since he came into the league in 2019. There is a reason for this as well because of his size and ability to bull rush whoever is put in front of him. Throughout the past seven years, he has totaled 30.5 sacks, 341 total tackles, and five forced fumbles. He has been a continuous star player for New York.

In last year’s poll for the top 100 players, Lawrence was ranked 17th overall. Although the talk of a possible trade is there, the Giants are going to do everything in their power to keep their defensive force. With his lingering injury problem, his trade value might not be as high as it once was.

Dec 11, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) looks on before the game against the Green Bay Packers at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Giants are currently asking for a late-first round pick, and the Chiefs have just that. After trading corner Trent McDuffie to the Rams in March, Kansas City received the 29th pick. The organization could use this moving forward before draft night.

With struggles throughout a lot of positions on the defensive side of the ball, it seems to be a focus for the organization to obtain some more defensive line pieces. The Chiefs have been one of the worst teams the past couple years at getting to quarterbacks, so this trade would play out tremendously.

Nov 16, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) scrambles away from New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Kansas City will have to make a decision in the upcoming weeks on whether they want to risk draft capital by trading for a recent injury prone Dexter Lawrence, or if they will hold out and trust a young rookie to help their defense.