The Kansas City Chiefs have a rare asset this offseason, but one insider believes the team could trade its top-10 pick away for a chance to upgrade their pass rush

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In an article predicting potential first-round trades for all 32 NFL teams, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell suggested the Chiefs could trade back in the first round to get more draft capital and a proven pass rusher. The Chiefs would need to part ways with former first-rounder Felix Anudike-Uzomah in the exchange, but Barnwell believes it could be worth it for Kansas City.

Chiefs Say Goodbye to Felix Anudike-Uzomah

In Barnwell’s proposed trade, the Chiefs would jump back to the No. 18 spot, giving their No. 9 overall pick to the Minnesota Vikings along with Anudike-Uzomah in exchange for edge rusher Jonathan Greenard and a third-round pick.

Barnwell suggested that the trade could give the Chiefs an eventual replacement for Chris Jones.

“We’ve heard that picking ninth gives the Chiefs a rare chance to address critical positions on their roster with a premium pick, and that’s true. What if they do that in a relatively unconventional way?” Barnwell wrote. “George Karlaftis has settled in as a solid starter, and Chris Jones’ impact hasn’t dipped as much as his statistical production suggests, but the Chiefs would love to come out of this draft with an impact edge rusher. They might be just a tad too low to land that player at No. 9 if the board goes as expected.”

Barnwell added that the Chiefs could land a “star” in Greenard, helping the team in its attempt to rapidly reload after a disappointing campaign in 2025 where they fell to 6-11 and missed the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade.

“One other way to address that need would be to add a star in Greenard, who racked up 12 sacks and 22 knockdowns with the Vikings in 2024 before injuries wrecked his 2025 campaign,” Barnwell wrote. “Greenard will turn 29 in May, so he should still have a couple of years of impactful pass rushing before the Chiefs would need to worry about moving on.”

Barnwell suggested the Chiefs would have more work after landing Greenard, likely needing to rework his contract to raise the annual salary.

“Greenard has two years and $37.9 million remaining on his deal, and though Brett Veach & Co. would have to address that contract with a meaningful raise, Greenard could still be an easily justifiable addition for the Chiefs, given their perennial role as Super Bowl contenders,” Barnwell wrote.

Chiefs Could Take Another Approach With First-Round Pick

The Chiefs could go another direction with their first-round pick. Pro Football Focus analyst Daire Carragher predicted they would trade up, moving up to the No. 6 spot to land Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey.

“Despite ranking first out of 872 edge defenders graded by PFF last season, Bailey still possesses room for further growth,” Carragher wrote. “His explosiveness off the line is some of the best we have ever seen, and Chiefs fans will be thrilled to see their team trade up inside the top 10 in search of a second franchise cornerstone from Texas Tech.”