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Kansas City Chiefs News & Rumors

Texans Trade CB Lonnie Johnson Jr. To Chiefs

May 2nd, 2022 at 4:39pm CST by Ben Levine

Lonnie Johnson Jr.‘s stint in Houston has come to an end. According to Doug Kyed of Pro Football Focus (on Twitter), the Texans have traded the cornerback to the Chiefs. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter), the Texans will receive a 2024 conditional seventh-round pick.

Johnson was a 2019 second-round pick by the Texans, but he failed to establish himself as a starter during his three years in Houston. The defensive back ultimately saw time in 44 games (19 starts) for the Texans, collecting 172 tackles. He seemed to take a step forward in 2021, as the 26-year-old finished with 55 tackles, three interceptions, and six passes defended.

The Texans weren’t done making moves today. Per Kyed (on Twitter), the Texans signed defensive Rasheem Green and waived/injured running back Scottie Phillips. Green, a 2018 fourth-round pick, spent his first four professional seasons with the Seahawks, including a 2021 campaign where he finished with a career-high 6.5 sacks in 17 games (16 starts). Phillips spent two years in Houston, collecting 38 yards from scrimmage.

The Texans have also added defensive end Mario Addison, per Mark Berman of FOX 26 in Houston (on Twitter). Addison is inking a two-year deal, according to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter). Following a long stint with the Panthers that saw him collect 55 sacks in 111 games, Addison spent the past two seasons with the Bills, where he added another 12 sacks in 32 games. The lineman played under current Texans defensive line coach Jacques Cesaire in Buffalo.

Finally, the Texans picked up the fifth-year option on offensive lineman Tytus Howard (per Rapoport on Twitter). Howard has started all 37 of his appearances in the NFL, but he’s missed 12 total games through his first three seasons. Howard has shown plenty of versatility during his NFL career, spending time at both tackle and guard.

Patriots Trade Up To No. 50, Select WR Tyquan Thornton

April 29th, 2022 at 7:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

After one of the most curious picks in the first round last night, the Patriots have moved up to No. 50. With it, they are picking WR Tyquan Thornton. Kansas City, meanwhile, receives picks 54 and 158.

Thornton played four seasons at Baylor, with two productive seasons in 2019 and 2021. Overall, he posted a career total of 143 receptions, 2,242 yards and 19 touchdowns – including 10 last year.

At six-foot-three, he provides good size at the position. Despite that, it is his speed for which he is most well-known. Thornton ran 4.28 40-yard dash at the Combine, showcasing the vertical threat he figures to be at the NFL level. While their styles differ, the addition of Thornton could further point to former first-rounder N’Keal Harry being on his way out of New England.

For Kansas City, this selection marks yet another wideout off the board in the top 50 selections. The team opted not to add a receiver with their pair of first-rounders last night, leaving many to expect them to target one on Day 2. While they still could do so, their trade down has shortened the list of available options.

Chiefs, Packers Pursued Marquise Brown

April 29th, 2022 at 2:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Prior to the Cardinals acquiring Marquise Brown during the first round, the Ravens discussed the deep threat with the Chiefs and Packers, SI.com’s Howard Balzer tweets.

Given both contenders’ receiver moves this offseason, their involvement in these trade talks should not surprise. The Cardinals’ somewhat surprising offer — headlined by the No. 23 overall pick — won out, and neither the Chiefs nor Packers selected a wide receiver in the first round. Despite holding two first-rounders apiece, Green Bay and Kansas City enter Day 2 of the draft with needs at the position.

Although the teams’ market-shifting Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill trades had more of an impact on the A.J. Brown trade than the one involving the Baltimore wideout, the moves left the Chiefs and Packers in need. Kansas City does not appear to feature the same level of need as Green Bay, thanks to Marquez Valdes-Scantling‘s Missouri relocation, but the team was linked to a wideout move ahead of the draft. The Packers have done well with second-round receiver picks; perhaps this is the direction Green Bay goes Friday.

Lamar Jackson expressed frustration after the Brown trade commenced, but the former MVP knew about the latter’s trade request. Despite Jackson’s Twitter activity Thursday night, GM Eric DeCosta informed the star quarterback of the move before it happened, per Pro Football Focus’ Doug Kyed. Brown did as well, being at the Cardinals’ draft party Thursday night.

“It was just … my happiness,” Brown said during an appearance on the I Am Athlete Tonight podcast (via Pro Football Talk). “I talked to Lamar about it after my second year. And then after my third year, leading up to the end of the season, you know, [Jackson] wasn’t playing. I let him know again, like, ‘Yeah, bro, I can’t do it.’

“You know, it’s not really on Lamar, like I love Lamar. It was just, you know, it’s just the system just wasn’t for me personally. You know, I love all my teammates. I love the guys. It was just something I had to think about for myself.”

The Ravens’ run-heavy system has steered receivers (including Smith-Schuster) away in the past, and Brown’s exit leaves Baltimore with a bit of a need at the position. This reunites Brown with Oklahoma teammate Kyler Murray, a scenario Brown said the two discussed this winter (via 98.7 Arizona Sports’ Tyler Drake, on Twitter). Brown, who is coming off his first NFL 1,000-yard season, played a big role in Murray winning the 2018 Heisman Trophy. The 5-foot-9 target caught 75 passes for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore, catching the Ravens’ eye in the 2019 first round.

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

April 28th, 2022 at 9:26pm CST by Ben Levine

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.

Chiefs Will Not Trade Into Top 15

April 28th, 2022 at 4:14pm CST by Sam Robinson
  • Rumored to be readying a trade-up, the Chiefs do not look likely to climb into the top half of the first round. They have told teams in the top 15 such a move would be too steep, Breer adds. The Chiefs have the Nos. 29 and 30 picks in the first round. Receiver is expected to be in play for the perennial AFC West champs, who have also been connected to pass-rushing help.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/27/22

April 27th, 2022 at 7:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: LS Liam McCullough

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs Interested In George Pickens

April 27th, 2022 at 7:04pm CST by Sam Robinson
  • Shifting to the draft, Georgia wideout George Pickens has emerged as a polarizing prospect. Some teams have the SEC-produced talent off their board altogether, citing character concerns, via SI.com’s Albert Breer. Others, however, have done extensive work on him. Pickens said the Cardinals, Chiefs and Packers have been the teams who have come in contact with him most, Fowler notes. Arizona and Kansas City have been linked to first-round wideouts, with the Chiefs connected to a Round 1 trade-up, while the Packers have famously not taken a first-round receiver since Javon Walker in 2002. Although the 6-foot-3 wideout referred to himself as the draft’s best wideout, he views his likely draft slot in the 25-45 range. Pickens, who posted 1,240 yards and 14 touchdowns between his freshman and sophomore seasons, is coming off a slate he largely missed due to a March 2021 ACL tear.

AFC Draft Notes: Chiefs, Jaguars, Texans, Steelers

April 26th, 2022 at 7:45pm CST by Ben Levine

We’re only two days away from the NFL Draft. Let’s take a look at some assorted draft notes out of the AFC:

  • The Chiefs are armed with 12 selections in the upcoming draft, including picks No. 29 and No. 30. According to Albert Breer of SI.com, Kansas City’s front office has started to call teams in the 20s about trading up. Breer opines that a potential deal could precede a second trade up the draft board.. Breer speculates that the Chiefs could be eyeing one of the league’s top receivers, but he also cautions that the front office could make “an aggressive move” for a cornerback or pass-rusher.
  • We can add two more teams to the list of Trevor Penning suitors. According to Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com, the Titans and Chiefs are among the teams being mentioned as landing spots for the Northern Iowa left tackle. Kansas City would likely have to trade up in order to acquire the lineman. The Ravens, Titans, and Panthers have previously been linked to Penning.
  • Four prospects are believed to be in play for the Jaguars at No. 1 overall, but ESPN’s Todd McShay is hearing a lot of buzz around Georgia edge rusher Travon Walker. Sources believe the Jaguars prefer Walker’s “upside and traits” over Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson‘s “proven production, motor, and leadership.”
  • The Texans are high on Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson, according to McShay. However, the Texans won’t take the wideout at No. 3, and they’d probably have to trade up from No. 13 in order to select Wilson. If that ends up being an unrealistic path, McShay could also envision the Texans trading out of the No. 13 spot.
  • The first QB off the board could end up going to the Steelers at No. 20, according to McShay. Pittsburgh is apparently eyeing Liberty’s Malik Willis, and the signal-caller could end up falling in their lap. However, the reporter seems to be cautioning that the Steelers may not be able to pull off “a Bill Belichick” (referring to last year’s Mac Jones pick), meaning the front office may have to trade up if they want Willis.

Chiefs, Cardinals Targeting First-Round WRs

April 26th, 2022 at 1:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

The back half of Thursday night’s first round has plenty of uncertainty, keeping in line with the overall theme of this year’s class. Two of the teams in that range whose intentions are clear, according to Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline, are the Chiefs and Cardinals; each, he reports, are targeting wide receivers. 

Kansas City has been named as a team looking for replenishments in their pass-catching corps since the Tyreek Hill trade. While they have signed J.J. Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, many have pointed to a receiver being a priority with one of their two Dat 1 selections (Nos. 29 and 30). As Pauline also noted recently, the team is high on Minnesota edge rusher Boye Mafe, whom many believe Kansas City will select with one of those picks.

As for the other, the Chiefs have frequently been connected to trade-up scenarios resulting in a top wideout becoming the pick. Given his speed, Jameson Williams is often touted as the team’s target in such a circumstance, but Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave are other options under consideration as well. Given the rankings of those three not only amongst the other top wideouts, but the rest of the class as a whole, it is highly unlikely Kansas City will be able to wait to select any of them at the tail end of Day 1.

A trade could very well be needed for the Cardinals as well if they wish to add a top pass-catcher. The team’s vacancy comes from Christian Kirk‘s free agency departure, meaning they could stand to add a starting-level player Thursday night. Since it is expected Williams, Wilson and Drake London – at a minimum – will be off the board by the time Arizona picks 23rd overall, Olave and Treylon Burks are more realistic targets at their current slot. The Cardinals hosted the latter, signalling at least a degree of interest in the Arkansas alum. Pauline points to offensive line as another position to target if they avoid a wideout.

Much of the chatter in the build-up to Thursday night is dominated by the top of the board, of course, but the actions of teams like these two will be worth watching as the WR board shakes out throughout the opening round.

AFC Draft Rumors: Belichick, Chiefs, Broncos

April 24th, 2022 at 5:40pm CST by Ely Allen

The first round of the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft has been billed as one of the most unpredictable in recent memory. There is plenty of top talent that will anticipate hearing their names called from picks 1-15 or so, but NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport believes that, past that, first-round picks will be used on players that some teams have third-round grades on, and, ultimately, some players with first-round talent may fall to the third round. This is part of a common analysis that the Draft lacks the top-end talent of most drafts but is much deeper than most with the strength of this Draft being in picks 30-90.

Beyond the regular challenge of guessing who a team might pick or where a player might fall, there is the near certainty that every mock draft on the internet will go down the drain when a team ultimately makes a draft-day trade. When discussing what might go down this Thursday with the Patriots, ESPN’s Mike Reiss is riding the odds.

Since head coach Bill Belichick joined New England in 2000, the Patriots lead the NFL in draft-day trades with 83. The next closest team is the Eagles with 64. Reiss believes that Belichick will stay true to form and strongly attempt to trade down later into the first round, allowing the Patriots to collect more draft capital in that deeper part of the Draft.

Here are a few other rumors concerning how teams in the AFC will be approaching the Draft:

  • In accordance with the opinions above, Michael David Smith of NBC Sports reported that Chiefs general manager Brett Veach told the media they have 16-18 players on the board with first-round grades. The good news: the Chiefs have two first-round picks. The bad news: those picks are 29th and 30th overall. Veach doesn’t love their chances of having one of those guys fall to them at the end of the first round. The Chiefs could either combine those picks together to try and trade up and nab one of the guys on their board or, more likely, Kansas City will trade down, exchanging those picks for others in the 30-60 range that Veach likes, adding to their current picks at 50th and 62nd.
  • When the Broncos acquired quarterback Russell Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks, they surrendered their two earliest picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. Without those picks, they won’t have an opportunity to draft anybody until the last pick of the second round, which they acquired from the Rams in exchange for outside linebacker Von Miller. General manager George Paton says that if they suffer from the fear of missing out, they’ll just “watch Russell Wilson highlights.” Since the Wilson-trade took their first two picks of the 2023 NFL Draft, as well, ESPN’s Jeff Legwold reports that Paton will certainly be open to fielding trade calls in order to potentially get Denver some more draft picks for next year.
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