Grading Proposed Rams Trade That Adds Two-Time All-Pro Trent McDuffie

The Los Angeles Rams fell just short of making their second Super Bowl appearance in the Matthew Stafford era this past season. Now, General Manager Les Snead is tasked with finding a way to shore up his roster and ensure that this team can get over the hump in 2026. After all, Stafford probably doesn't have many campaigns left in his weathered body, and LA will want to do all it can to cash in while he's still operating at an MVP-level.

The good news is that the Rams don't have many holes to fill. They were one of the best teams in the NFL this past season and made the NFC Championship for good reason. The better news is that they have plenty of resources to fix the few flaws they have within their depth chart. One underrated avenue is the trade market. LA has ample cap space and draft capital. They could use them straight up or to facilitate deals for established talent.

Kansas City Chiefs, NFL, Los Angeles Rams, Trent McDuffie — Nov 27, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Van Jefferson (12) catches a pass for a touchdown as Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (21) defends during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Rams go big in this proposed deal

ESPN's Bill Barnwell recently drew up a handful of mock trades that he thought would behoove both sides of each deal. For the Los Angeles Rams, he has them addressing their most glaring issue, their secondary, by acquiring a two-time All-Pro cornerback — the Kansas City Chiefs' Trent McDuffie. The full details have LA sending out the 29th-overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft in exchange for McDuffie and a fifth-round selection from KC:

"Their biggest weakness is at cornerback, a position Snead has tried to address via trades for young stars in the past. The Rams sent second- and fourth-round picks to the Chiefs for Marcus Peters, and though that didn't work out, Snead followed up by sending two first-round picks to the Jaguars for Jalen Ramsey. That one did. I'm not sure there's a cornerback available worth that sort of haul, but would the Rams use one of their first-rounders to get an immediate difference-maker?"

Would you be in favor of the Chiefs sending Trent McDuffie and a 5th for the 29th overall pick? pic.twitter.com/Yd3A0SmlNw
— Farzin Vousoughian (@Farzin21) February 16, 2026

"McDuffie fits that bill as a feisty, aggressive cornerback with the ability to play near the line of scrimmage. The Rams have spent at one of the league's lowest rates over the past two years on defense, and they would have no trouble absorbing a potential extension for McDuffie, let alone his $13.6 million fifth-year option in 2026. McDuffie might be best in the slot, where the Rams use Quentin Lake, but he's plenty effective as an outside cornerback, too."

This is a surefire win for the Rams. McDuffie will turn just 26 next season and has already established himself as one of the top cornerbacks in the league.

He'd be an instant upgrade for an LA secondary that repeatedly showed itself to be too small and too vulnerable, even with an elite pass rush in front of them. The 29th-overall pick is a paltry price to pay for a player of McDuffie's talents, especially in a weaker draft class like this one. Unless he opts against re-signing in LA next year, this is a slam-dunk move for General Manager Les Snead.

Grade: A+

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