Bill Barnwell's latest blockbuster trade proposal resolves Rams secondary saga

The Los Angeles Rams did not have an answer for Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley in 2024. The defense did not have an answer for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba in 2025. Both teams would go on to win their respective Super Bowl matchups.

In both cases, LA was their toughest foe.

The defense effectively responded to the vulnerability against the run. The addition of veteran nose tackle Poona Ford and inside linebacker Nate Landman made a huge impact. Now the team must make similar adjustments to its pass coverage. But who can step in and instantly improve the struggling secondary?

The Rams need an elite plug-and-play cornerback. The Kansas City Chiefs need to fast-track restocking their roster with an infusion of elite rookie talent. ESPN NFL analyst Bill Barnwell offers a solution that is both viable and effective. In his trade proposal, he suggests LA sends its second first-round draft pick to the Chiefs in exchange for elite cornerback Trent McDuffie and a fifth-round pick.

Rams go all-in with their extra first-rounder

So what would it take to pry away a prize cornerback? Barnwell hints that McDuffie could be had for a late first-round pick, and still get a fifth-round pick in return with the player. The proposed exchange would look like this:

Rams get: CB Trent McDuffie, 2026 fifth-round pick
Chiefs get: 2026 first-round pick

Why the Chiefs would do this

The Chiefs fell to a record of 6-11 in 2025. Curiously, they still had a very favorable point differential, suggesting that they are not far from success. But LA Rams fans know full well that rediscovering success requires a willingness to shed stars. After 2022, Les Snead purged the roster. While McDuffie is not expensive yet, he soon will be.

Andy Reid needs rookies to mold, and a late first-round pick could actually land a McDuffie successor lickity-split, and at a much less costly salary. The Chiefs should prefer getting a potential elite NFL player for the next four or five seasons on a rookie contract.

Why the Rams would do this

It seems obvious that Snead has already spoken to the need to aggressively pursue plug-and-play impact players with quarterback Matthew Stafford's return. And Stafford will be back. The need to fix the secondary is common knowledge.

An elite cornerback is not a luxury or a want. This defense needs stronger pass coverage to win the games that were lost by only a few points in 2025. And McDuffie could bring the type of stability to allow other defensive backs to find firmer footing.

LA needs to win now, while Stafford is still tossing laser-guided missiles to his receivers. So the window of opportunity is much less for Snead.

This trade proposal lines up as one of the rare win-win trades that bring two teams to sign on the dotted line. But much can happen between now and the opening of the 2026 NFL season. Stay tuned, as this could be one idea that turns into something more.

As always, thanks for reading.