The Kansas City Chiefs and general manager Brett Veach have been quite active ahead of the 2024 trade deadline, adding wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and edge rusher Joshua Uche. However, as noted by ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler on October 30, the two-time reigning Super Bowl champions may still pursue more changes.
“Kansas City addressed two needs through trades… in consecutive weeks,” Fowler stated, recognizing the acquisitions of Hopkins and Uche. “But cornerback is still a concern following Jaylen Watson’s season-ending injury, and there’s a belief that Kansas City is closely observing that market as the deadline approaches.”
“The Chiefs aren’t in a rush to make a move but are open to possibilities,” the insider continued, “and their draft assets for 2025 remain solid after securing a third-round pick in the L’Jarius Sneed trade.”
Regarding a potential beneficial trade target at cornerback, Bleacher Report analyst Alex Ballentine recommended making an “aggressive move” for New Orleans Saints standout Marshon Lattimore.
“The Chiefs already made a significant trade by acquiring DeAndre Hopkins before the deadline, but they still have enough salary cap flexibility for another acquisition,” Ballentine mentioned on October 28. “Aiming for a historic third Super Bowl might be enough motivation to make a bold move… [and] trading for Marshon Lattimore from the Saints would certainly fit that description.”
“The skilled cornerback could step into the lineup to replace Jaylen Watson, who has been placed on injured reserve,” the NFL analyst noted, adding that “the Saints have considerable depth at cornerback and a challenging cap situation, so trading Lattimore wouldn’t be unexpected.”
Can the Chiefs Afford a Trade for Marshon Lattimore? Lattimore is currently under a $97 million contract, leading to the important question — how can the Chiefs manage to afford him?
“Following all the recent moves, the Chiefs now have $255,953 in available cap space according to the NFLPA salary cap report,” Chiefs Digest reporter Matt Derrick shared on October 30. “The key point: Brett Veach can still navigate a trade, but it won’t involve acquiring anyone with a high base salary.”
This is especially relevant concerning a potential Lattimore trade. While the four-time Pro Bowler has a cap hit exceeding $14.6 million in 2024, his base salary is relatively low.
As per Over the Cap, Lattimore’s base salary for 2024 is just $1.21 million, as the Saints have shifted most of his cap hit into a signing bonus exceeding $10.6 million.
It’s essential to recognize that the later years of Lattimore’s contract present different challenges. The veteran cornerback’s base salary escalates to $16 million in 2025 and $16.5 million in 2026, along with larger cap hits, but that’s a concern for another time.
If the Chiefs were indeed keen to move on from Lattimore after the 2024 season, they could designate him for a post-June 1 cut or attempt to trade him again, freeing up $18 million in cap space for 2025 and another $18.5 million in 2026.
Marshon Lattimore’s Continued High-Level Performance with the Saints Kansas City’s defense has been strong in 2024, but cornerback could be a weak link with Watson on IR, especially if another injury occurs.
Lattimore not only solidifies the position but also enhances it.
Pro Football Focus has rated Lattimore at 69.0 or higher in pass coverage for the last four seasons, consistently holding opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating below 78.0.
Earlier in his career, Lattimore was recognized as a ball hawk, and while his interception numbers have dropped slightly due to fewer targets, he still possesses the ability to make impactful plays, recording 5 interceptions and 29 pass breakups in the last four seasons.
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo would value Lattimore’s tackling ability as well. The veteran has maintained a missed tackle rate below 10.0 in seven out of his eight NFL seasons and has achieved 97 key defensive stops throughout his career.