The Kansas City Chiefs hold the No. 9 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and are urged to consider trading up for a better position. ESPN's Bill Barnwell suggests that with extra draft capital, they could target premium positions like wide receiver or edge rusher.
Chiefs urged to make major NFL Draft trade with 9th pick originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Kansas City Chiefs aren't used to this.
But despite that, they've got to come to grips with the fact that they're holding the No. 9 overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. And they better realize that quickly, because it could give them an opportunity to make a major trade.
In a new article on Tuesday, ESPN's Bill Barnwell is urging the Chiefs to trade higher up the board.
"At No. 9, the Chiefs could stay put and hope that one of those players at premium positions like wide receiver or edge rusher fall to them," Barnwell writes. "Armed with extra draft capital from the Trent McDuffie trade, though, this might be an opportunity for general manager Brett Veach to go big."
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The Chiefs hold a first-rounder at No. 29 from the Rams, as well, from the aforementioned McDuffie trade.
Two first-rounders could be weaponized to move into a prime spot, if the Chiefs so desire such a deal.
"I wouldn't want to sacrifice that No. 29 pick altogether, but if the Chiefs can use that to move up and then land another Day 2 pick as part of a deal, it might give them a chance at the sort of pass-rushing prospect they wouldn't normally see at the bottom of Round 1, such as Texas Tech's David Bailey," Barnwell writes. "Drafting a player out of Tech didn't go too poorly the last time the Chiefs tried it, right?"
The Chiefs are in a different spot from most teams drafting in the top-10, because they expect to be highly competitive right away again this season after one bad year.
To do that, they might want to land a transcendent talent, like Bailey in the top-five or top-three picks, rather than waiting on whoever gets to the ninth spot.
It wouldn't be an easy deal to pull off, but the Chiefs should likely at least consider all the options on the table.
The Chiefs are considering a trade to move up in the draft to secure a player at a premium position, such as wide receiver or edge rusher.
ESPN's Bill Barnwell is urging the Chiefs to make a major trade with their 9th overall pick.
The Chiefs have extra draft capital from the trade involving Trent McDuffie, which could facilitate a move up the draft board.
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