Position Chiefs Will Target in Trade Up From No. 29

The Kansas City Chiefs enter the 2026 NFL Draft with a surplus of picks after accumulating additional capital by trading All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams.

One of the selections gained from moving the 25-year-old cornerback was the 29th overall pick. With two first-round picks, the Chiefs could be aggressive and pursue prospects who are sliding down the board. While Kansas City is unlikely to move up from No. 9, the aforementioned pick could be in play in trade discussions.

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Over the weekend, NFL draft analyst Todd McShay discussed the Chiefs as a potential candidate to trade up in the first round.

McShay's Thoughts

Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Houston Texans linebacker Henry To'Oto'O (39) tackles Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) during the third quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

"Kansas City could [trade up], they have nine picks. They have three in the first two rounds," McShay said. "I also feel like they are resetting a little bit. I think they need another weapon. I think they need a tight end to back up - in addition to a wide receiver - they need a tight end to start prepping 'this is it for [Travis] Kelce. Quite honestly, Kelce was good, he was productive, but they need a difference maker."

Takeaways and Reaction

Jan 9, 2026; Atlanta, GA, USA; Oregon Ducks tight end Kenyon Sadiq (18) runs against Indiana Hoosiers linebacker Isaiah Jones (46)during the first quarter of the 2025 Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Imagesf | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

While trading up is something that general manager Brett Veach should consider, doing so for a tight end seems desperate. Oregon's Kenyon Sadiq has been universally viewed as the TE1 in this year's draft class, but quite frankly, the production file is underwhelming. Vanderbilt's Eli Stowers is the TE2 in this class, but he is not worth a first-round pick.

Instead, if the Chiefs decided to move up, targeting a receiver makes much more sense. The wide receiver prospects are a polarizing group. Carnell Tate is one of the safest wide receivers in recent memory, but his ceiling is unknown, and investing a top-10 pick on a potential WR2 is a bit rich. Jordyn Tyson, who is the most talented pass catcher in this draft, has been marred by injuries throughout his collegiate career. Then there is Makai Lemon, whose production profile is as good as it gets. However, his interview process during the pre-draft process was puzzling, to say the least.

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Carnell Tate (17) runs past Michigan Wolverines defensive back Caleb Anderson (13) and defensive end T.J. Guy (4) during the NCAA football game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. on Nov. 29, 2025. Ohio State won 27-9. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Those receivers are slated in tier-one at the positional value in this class, but if one were to plummet down the board in round one, it would be Tyson. If that ends up being the case, the 6-foot-2, 203-pound wideout is a player Kansas City will consider trading up for.

That being said, the Chiefs have a slew of needs entering the draft, and overstepping, overpaying, and missing on a selection after hypothetically trading up is a disastrous scenario they must avoid.