The Los Angeles Rams pulled off the first blockbuster of the offseason, acquiring cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for four draft picks, including the No. 29 overall selection in 2026.
The Rams needed to upgrade their secondary and did so in a big way by landing the two-time All-Pro. In four seasons with the Chiefs, McDuffie recorded three career interceptions, 34 pass breakups, eight forced fumbles and 5.5 sacks.
McDuffie, a Southern California native, already has a few connections to the Rams. He played at the University of Washington under then-head coach Jimmy Lake, who is now L.A.’s pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach.
McDuffie was also college teammates with Puka Nacua from 2019-2020, and the Pro Bowl wide receiver is excited that they will get to share the field again in L.A.
— Puka Nacua (@AsapPuka) March 4, 2026
Before attending the University of Washington, McDuffie played football at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif. for a short time. He was teammates with Rams defensive back Quentin Lake, and the 27-year-old is looking forward to them playing together in the NFL:
Mater Dei all the way to LA! #MDBoyz pic.twitter.com/YhgFzrtxwU
— Quentin Lake (@quentin_lake) March 4, 2026
McDuffie already seems like a perfect fit with the Rams, and the team hopes he was the missing piece that will get them back to the Super Bowl next year.
McDuffie is entering the final year of his rookie deal, so the Rams will presumably look to work out a long-term contract extension with him this offseason.
While the Rams paid a hefty price to acquire McDuffie, they still own the No. 13 overall pick in this year’s draft, which originally belonged to the Atlanta Falcons.
Assuming L.A. holds on to the pick, it will be the first time they make a selection in the first round since taking Jared Verse with the 19th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Rams tender contracts to three players
Even before the McDuffie trade, the Rams had been busy constructing their roster for the 2026 season. They recently tendered contracts to offensive lineman Justin Dedich, kicker Harrison Mevis and wide receiver Xavier Smith, all of whom were exclusive rights free agents.
An exclusive rights free agent is any player with less than three accrued seasons and an expired contract. If his original team offers him a one-year contract at the league minimum, the player cannot negotiate with other teams.
Each of the aforementioned players contributed to the Rams’ success last season and now will return to the team for at least one more year.
