While everyone awaits a contract extension with franchise-tagged Trey Smith, Kansas City Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie is one of the next players set to earn a long-term deal.
As a former 2022 NFL Draft pick, McDuffie's rookie contract will expire following the 2025 NFL season. The Chiefs have until May 1 to exercise McDuffie's fifth-year option, which would pay him a fully guaranteed $13.6M in 2026.
McDuffie has known nothing but Super Bowl appearances since joining the Chiefs. All of that success, combined with the team culture and people, has made the prospect of a long-term contract appealing. If and when a deal manifests, McDuffie told reporters his focus remains on the football of it all. He'll leave the business up to the businessmen.
"Yeah, I mean, I love the city, I love the coaches, love my teammates," McDuffie said. "I would love to be back with the team. As far as contract-wise, I mean, truly, I'm letting my agent deal with that. Like my sole focus this year, moving forward, is just football. And I love what this team has done for me, and I love what I've been able to do for them. So, if it's a long-term deal, I mean, I'd be ecstatic. That's for sure."
Chiefs GM Brett Veach expects dialogue with McDuffie's agent to pick up before or after the 2025 NFL Draft.
Given what we've seen in the past on "early" extensions, a deal for McDuffie could come at the onset of the 2025 NFL Season, just like the extension for Creed Humphrey a year ago.
Trent McDuffie can break the recent trend among KC Chiefs cornerbacks
Should a long-term contract extension with McDuffie occur, it'd break a recent trend at the cornerback position. In recent years, the Chiefs have tended to let their homegrown talent at the cornerback position walk away in free agency. They didn't pay Charvarius Ward, who left to join the San Francisco 49ers. They traded away L'Jarius Sneed just last year, as well.
When informed of that fact, McDuffie explained that while he hadn't really considered it. He knows that the only thing in his control is his performance on the field and in the community. If he does right in those areas, good things should follow.
"Yeah, no, I haven't really thought of it like that," McDuffie said. "You know, obviously losing LJ (L'Jarius Sneed) was sad for me, and like, JR (Justin Reid) and stuff. So I know it's a business. Coming into the league, you're taught that this is a business. Things happen, but like, I keep telling my agent, I tell everybody, as long as I'm producing on the field, as long as I'm maximizing every opportunity and putting my best foot forward at the end of the day, whatever they choose, I can live with. And as long as I'm cool in the community, as long as everybody around me, on the team, in the community, just what I'm, what I'm about, what I'm a part of, that's all I can do. And if they want to sign me, I would love to, if they don't. There's nothing but love for Kansas City, for me, for sure. So whatever happens, happens."
It's a good mentality as the Chiefs kick off their quest for Super Bowl LX with the onset of the offseason workout program. If McDuffie makes 2025 his best year yet, he'll set himself up for success on the business side of the NFL game.
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