The trade the Kansas City Chiefs need to make as soon as possible
ESPN's Dianna Russini reported on Tuesday morning that the Kansas City Chiefs are actively looking to trade for a top wide receiver. The Chiefs traded wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins earlier this month due to a contract dispute. Kansas City signed wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling already this offseason, but […]
ESPN's Dianna Russini reported on Tuesday morning that the Kansas City Chiefs are actively looking to trade for a top wide receiver.
The Chiefs traded wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins earlier this month due to a contract dispute.
Kansas City signed wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling already this offseason, but they're clearly still looking for another playmaker.
If the Chiefs want to add another high-caliber wide receiver, they should call up the Seattle Seahawks and work out a deal for Tyler Lockett.
Lockett, who turns 30 in September, is coming off the best three-year stretch of his career. The former Kansas State standout has gone over 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last three seasons. Lockett has also played in 48 games during that span.
Lockett obviously isn't as fast as Hill, but he can still stretch the field vertically.
Right now, Mahomes doesn't have a true No. 1 wide receiver. Lockett, though, could certainly be a No. 1 wide receiver in the Chiefs' offense.
Now, why would the Seahawks trade Lockett?
It would mostly be to free up salary-cap space so they could sign wide receiver DK Metcalf to a lucrative extension.
Lockett has four years remaining on his contract. If the Seahawks released him after the 2022 season, it would be a $21 million dead cap hit (stretching to 2024).
But if Seattle trades Lockett before June 1, the Seahawks would have a $15.1 million dead cap hit in 2022, then they'd be off the hook in 2023 and beyond (which is when Metcalf's extension would kick in).
Financially, it makes sense for the Seahawks to trade Lockett. But whether or not that happens depends on the Chiefs (or another team) making a strong offer.
Seattle doesn't have to trade Lockett, but they're listening to deals. I think KC should be able to work something out here if they identify Lockett as the wide receiver available via trade that's the best fit with Mahomes.
Featured image via Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
