Although it always seemed like a pipe dream, given the intra-AFC West nature of it, we recently wrote about the possibility of the Las Vegas Raiders trading for Kansas City Chiefs superstar cornerback Trent McDuffie. Obviously, that did not come to fruition.
Instead, McDuffie was dealt to the Los Angeles Rams on Wednesday ahead of free agency. In return, the Chiefs received the No. 29 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, as well as a fifth and sixth-rounder this year and a 2027 third-rounder. That's quite a haul for Kansas City and general manager Brett Veach.
While this trade merely occurred between two teams, the effects of it will be felt throughout the league. This is especially true for the Raiders, as the ramifications of this deal will affect them directly this offseason and beyond.
Chiefs trading Trent McDuffie has major ramifications for Raiders
First and foremost: McDuffie, the All-Pro cornerback who has wreaked havoc on Las Vegas ever since he was drafted, is now out of the division and conference. The Silver and Black, although they play Los Angeles in 2026, won't have to see McDuffie more than once every few years now.
But the flip side of the coin is that the Chiefs, who are taking their medicine and rebuilding a bit this offseason, are now equipped with more draft capital. Not only do they now hold two first-round picks, giving them more potential talent and financial flexibility, but they can package the picks to trade up.
Kansas City having the resources to slide around the draft board and acquire a player like Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love or Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq could have consequences for Las Vegas for years to come, especially if they pan out as expected in the NFL.
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Another tentacle of this deal is that the Rams gave up their No. 29 pick. Los Angeles has been heavily monitoring the Maxx Crosby trade saga in Las Vegas, so they'll either have to give up their No. 13 pick this year to get Crosby or sweeten the deal in another way, perhaps with a future first-rounder.
The Rams are signaling that they're going all-in by trading for McDuffie, as Matthew Stafford and Davante Adams don't have too many years left, and Puka Nacua is still on his rookie deal. Similar to how they did things in 2021, they could aggressively send their picks for Crosby as they chase a title.
Ideally, the Chiefs squander their trade return and sorely miss McDuffie this year, and if the Rams do indeed still make an offer for Crosby, it is one that the Raiders can't refuse. Although the exact ripple effect of the McDuffie trade cannot be felt quite yet, fans know that there will be one.