Chiefs Acquire No. 21 From Patriots, Select CB Trent McDuffie

If you can believe it, the Patriots are trading back. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Patriots are trading pick No. 21. The Chiefs are on the other side of the deal, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). The Chiefs will use the selection on Washington corner Trent McDuffie.

Per ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), the Patriots traded pick No. 21 to Kansas City for picks No. 29, No. 94, and No. 121.

Armed with 12 selections entering the draft, the Chiefs were among the teams exploring a trade up the draft board. Many assumed Kansas City would make a trade in pursuit of a wideout. Instead, the front office decided to improve their secondary, a unit that needed some help after the organization moved on from cornerback Tyrann Mathieu.

McDuffie obviously can’t replicate the production of the former All-Pro, but the rookie has plenty of upside. The Washington product had a productive 2021 campaign, finishing with 35 tackles and six passes defended. His performance earned him third-team All-American and first-team All-Pac-12 honors after the past year.

Bill Belichick and co. have always had an affinity for trading back, especially in the first round. With New England having plenty of holes to fill throughout their roster, it only makes sense that the organization would look to pick up some extra assets while still retaining a first-round pick.

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