According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Los Angeles Rams have acquired cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs and agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $124 million, including $100 million guaranteed. The deal carries an average annual value of $31 million, positioning McDuffie as the NFL's highest-paid cornerback.

The trade compensates the Chiefs with the Rams' No. 29 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, plus 2026 fifth- and sixth-round selections and a 2027 third-round pick, per reports. McDuffie was entering the final year of his rookie contract, with Kansas City having exercised his fifth-year option for 2026.

McDuffie, 25, was selected by the Chiefs fourth overall in the 2022 NFL Draft out of the University of Washington.[1][2] He contributed to the Chiefs' victories in Super Bowl LVII and Super Bowl LVIII.[3][4] In 2023, he earned second-team All-Pro honors from the Pro Football Writers of America.[2][4]

Through the 2023 season, McDuffie had appeared in 33 games with 16 starts, recording 103 combined tackles, 16 passes defended, four interceptions, and two forced fumbles.[2] A California native born in Bellflower, McDuffie previously expressed a desire to play near family, mentioning the Rams as a preferred option during an August 2025 event, per ESPN reports.

The move addresses a need in the Rams' secondary during the 2026 offseason. The NFL's legal tampering period for free agency opened on Monday at noon ET, with the new league year starting March 11 at 4 p.m. ET.

Sources

1. NFL.com
   Trent McDuffie Player Profile
   Accessed October 2024
   https://www.nfl.com/players/trent-mcduffie/
2. Pro-Football-Reference.com
   Trent McDuffie Stats
   Accessed October 2024
   https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/McDuTr00.htm
3. ESPN.com
   Trent McDuffie Player Profile
   Accessed October 2024
   https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4429387/trent-mcduffie
4. Wikipedia
   Trent McDuffie
   Accessed October 2024
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trent_McDuffie