Buccaneers are getting connected to a trade idea that doesn’t really make sense for anyone involved
Trade rumors are already making headway into insider conversations and the Bucs were recently mentioned in an idea that doesn’t make much sense.
There’s a lot going on with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers right now, and not much of it is good.
The team is dealing with a lot of questions from the head coach to the backups, and the only way they’ll be answered— for good or bad — is on the football field.
And once the season is over, a new crop of inquiries will pop up, and most of them will deal with roster construction and how the Bucs plan to fix, or upgrade, certain areas of the roster. One big decision looms at cornerback because Jamel Dean’s future isn’t guaranteed despite his excellent 2025 season.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently floated a trade idea for the Bucs involving Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro CB Trent McDuffie. Hence, it’s worth parsing the context behind the potential move to see if it makes sense and is actually feasible.
Why would the Chiefs move on from McDuffie in the first place?
The Chiefs have a history of moving on from their top corners before a big payday is due. They did with Charvarius Ward and L’Jarius Sneed. As a matter of fact, the latter was traded in order to pave the way for McDuffie, and then the Chiefs let Ward walk to bump Sneed up.
Kansas City doesn’t have a clear replacement for McDuffie, but it’s important to note the changes/upgrades needed on the offensive side of the ball, and the Chiefs would not only get some heavy assets in a trade, but they’d also avoid the big cap hits that come with a hypothetical McDuffie extension.
“Another name on my radar is Chiefs corner Trent McDuffie,” Fowler wrote in the “most interesting trade candidates” section of his latest article with Dan Graziano. “The last Kansas City corner eyeing a big extension, L’Jarius Sneed, was shipped to Tennessee for a draft pick. McDuffie would have value, and Tampa Bay would be a perfect spot for him.”
There are plenty of pros that come with the move, but the obvious con is losing not only your best corner, but one of the best corners in the NFL. There would be a lot to think about on the Chiefs’ side of the situation – I don’t think it’s as clear-cut as Fowler states.
How much would it cost the Bucs to acquire McDuffie?
There’s a lot to think about the Bucs side of this, as well. Not only would Jason Licht have to give up some pretty valuable trade assets (which is something he doesn’t do), but he’d have to pay McDuffie –– and pay him well –– on top of that.
Fortunately, one doesn’t have to travel too far into the past to find a trade involving a top-tier cornerback. The Indianapolis Colts sent two first-round picks and a player to the New York Jets in exchange for Sauce Gardner and his contract that averages around $30 million per year.
McDuffie definitely lands in the top five to seven range among his peers. A first-round pick and a Day 2 pick seem like the starting point, at minimum.
Next up is the dollar amount. McDuffie’s worth lands somewhere between the $28-$30 million per year range, which is a hefty amount for any non-quarterback. The Bucs have a couple of guys with high salaries that make sense in a trade (Chris Godwin, Vita Vea), so they can offset McDuffie’s extension a bit.
The trade package and subsequent payday would make or break Licht’s decision.
Would Jason Licht make a move like this?
Licht is not an “aggressive” GM. He made several big moves when Tom Brady was on the roster, but that’s because, well, Brady was on the roster. Any GM worth their salt understands the weight of that situation and how imperative it would be to make as many moves as necessary to maximize the Super Bowl window.
That being said, this isn’t a move that puts them over the top. Yeah, it’d lock up a key spot on the defense, but the Bucs still need help at EDGE and along the defensive line. McDuffie doesn’t automatically make them a contender, by any means.
It’d honestly make the most sense for the Bucs to bring Dean back at a much cheaper rate and keep their draft assets/cap space to upgrade elsewhere.
This is best left as speculation and nothing more right now
It’s an odd pitch from Fowler to begin with, but he’s as plugged-in as it gets. Still, this move wouldn’t really make sense for either side, and it would be a pretty big surprise if it did indeed happen.
Stranger things have happened in the NFL before, though. Even then, I’d file this under the “highly unlikely” tab.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers News
Buccaneers’ playoff chances just received a major boost that also makes the Panthers game more important than ever
Tua Tagovailoa’s benching will certainly have a trickle down effect that can help the Bucs dig out of their current playoff hole.
