Historically, Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has not been afraid to pull off that blockbuster trade. Whether that is the case again ahead of the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline remains to be seen.
Kansas City finished off the Los Angeles Chargers at home in Week 7 to win its sixth consecutive game. However, things were not all great prior to a breakout performance from reigning NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes and Co. heading into said game.
The Chiefs averaged less than 25 points per game over the first six weeks of the season after averaging north of 29 points last year. Perhaps, Kansas City will look to rectify this by adding another receiver even after re-acquiring Mecole Hardman earlier in October.
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We could also envision Kansas City adding to a defense that entered Week 7 having yielded the second-fewest points in the NFL. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has done a tremendous job with this otherwise unproven unit. Acquiring a shut down corner or another edge could be in the cards.
Below, we take a look at four Kansas City Chiefs trade scenarios that could help the team repeat as Super Bowl champions.
Derrick Henry lands in Kansas City ahead of NFL trade deadline
We are hearing varying reports as it relates to Henry’s availability ahead of Oct. 31. Some believe that the Tennessee Titans will move off the former NFL rushing champion with the team going nowhere fast. After all, Henry is slated to become a free agent after the 2023 season. Others believe that Tennessee will hold on to Henry with the hopes of re-signing him on the open market.
We fit into the former category. The Titans are not going to be contending for a playoff spot any time soon. Henry would net them a nice little return for a running back that’s entering the back end of his prime.
There might not be a better fit than Kansas City for Henry. The team likes what it has in young back Isiah Pacheco. But Henry would add another dimension to the mix. We’re talking about a veteran who entered 2023 having averaged 1,728 total yards and 14 touchdowns over the past three seasons. He’s also performed well this year (425 rushing yards in six games). Imagine Henry teaming up with Pacheco and Mahomes in the backfield.
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Kendrick Bourne heads to the Kansas City Chiefs
Bourne is not necessarily a No. 1 receiver. There aren’t going to be any availabile ahead of the NFL trade deadline unless the Tampa Bay Buccaneers opt to part with Mike Evans. In fact, Bourne might be the best option for Kansas City given his performance this season in a less-than-stellar offense.
The former undrafted free agent has recorded 34 receptions for 370 yards with three touchdowns while hauling in 67% of his targets. He also has just one drop on the season. Set to become a free agent next March and with a mere $4.75 million base salary this season, Bourne would come cheap from both a financial and asset perspective in a trade with the Patriots. It almost makes too much sense.
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Chiefs add to offensive line for the stretch run
Teams value offensive linemen. It is why very few are actually on the block leading up to the NFL trade deadline. While Mahomes has been sacked just seven times in as many games, there have been major issues from a penalty perspective in front of him. Left tackle Donovan Smith (three penalties) and right tackle (nine penalties) have been culprits. The same can be said for right tackle Trey Smith (five penalties).
While it wouldn’t be a big move in the grand scheme of things, acquiring a swing tackle who can play guard in a pinch makes sense for the Chiefs. That’s where Teven Jenkins of the Chicago Bears comes into play. He has experience playing all three positions mentioned above as well as left guard. He’s also played pretty well in three games since coming back from injury. The cost here would be a mid-to-late round pick.
Kansas City Chiefs pull off blockbuster Brian Burns trade
As noted above, Veach has not been afraid to pull off blockbuster trades in the past. Acquiring edge rusher Frank Clark and left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. in recent years are two primary examples of this. Heck, the trade of Tyreek Hill ahead of last season was another example.
Sure, bringing in Burns would cost a heck of a lot. The Chiefs would likely be looking at yielding at least a first-and-second-round pick. Heck, the Carolina Panthers turned down an offer of two first-round picks last year.
With all of that said, the defending champions are in win-now mode. The idea of teaming Burns up with star defensive tackle Chris Jones could be too hard to pass up on. Burns, 25, recorded a combined 61 QB hits and 30.5 sacks in the three seasons leading up to 2023. He’s one of the best pass rushers in the game. Teams like the Chiefs can make moves like this and worry about the financial ramifications later.