Trending Now - NFL Teams Make Waves With Record-breaking Player Contracts
WHO:
Trent McDuffie, cornerback, Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes, Adam Schefter, Joel Klatt.
Jaylen Watson, cornerback, Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Collin Roberts (agent).
Trent McDuffie, cornerback, Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes, Adam Schefter, Joel Klatt.
Trent McDuffie, cornerback, Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes, Adam Schefter
Trent McDuffie, cornerback, Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes, Adam Schefter, Joel Klatt
WHAT:
McDuffie was traded from the Kansas City Chiefs to the Los Angeles Rams on March 5th, 2026.
McDuffie agreed to a four-year, $124 million contract extension with the Rams, which includes $100 million guaranteed.
McDuffie's average annual value of $31 million surpasses that of Sauce Gardner ($30.1 million) and Derek Stingley Jr. ($30 million), making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.
McDuffie will earn $13.6 million in 2026 on his fifth-year option.
The Rams reached an agreement on a three-year deal with Jaylen Watson, who had a career-high two interceptions, six pass breakups, two sacks, and 64 tackles in the 2025 season.
McDuffie was previously set to hit unrestricted free agency in 2027 following the expiration of his rookie contract.
McDuffie has won two Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs.
McDuffie has recorded three interceptions in his career.
McDuffie stated, "If I could play for another team, I'd probably want to play close to my family, so that would probably be the L.A. Rams so that my family could come see every single game," during a back-to-school event in August 2025.
McDuffie set a career-high in tackles with 63 during the 2025 season, while also totaling seven passes defended, one sack, and one forced fumble.
McDuffie's average annual value of $31 million surpasses that of Sauce Gardner ($30.1 million) and Derek Stingley Jr. ($30 million), making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.
The Rams signed Trent McDuffie to a four-year, $124 million contract extension.
The contract includes $100 million in guaranteed money.
McDuffie's average annual value is $31 million, making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history.
McDuffie will earn $13.6 million in 2026 on his fifth-year option.
The Rams traded their No. 29 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, along with 2026 fifth- and sixth-round selections and a 2027 third-round pick to acquire McDuffie.
McDuffie has 34 passes defended, eight forced fumbles, 5.5 sacks, and 246 combined tackles in his career.
McDuffie was named First-Team All-Pro in 2023.
WHERE:
Los Angeles, California; Kansas City, Missouri; Westminster, California; Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado; GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri; St. John Bosco High School, Southern California.
WHEN:
The trade for McDuffie will become official on March 11th, 2026, at the start of the new league year.
The Rams' trade for McDuffie was agreed upon on March 5th, 2026, and will become official on March 11th, 2026, at 4 p.m. ET.
The trade for McDuffie will become official on March 11th, 2026, at the start of the new league year.
The trade for McDuffie was agreed upon on March 5th, 2026, and will become official on March 11th, 2026, at 4 p.m. ET.
The trade for McDuffie was agreed upon on March 5th, 2026.
The new league year begins on March 11th, 2026, at 4 p.m. ET.
McDuffie was born in 2001, making him 25 years old at the time of the contract signing.
WHY:
The Rams needed to address their cornerback position due to the retirement of cornerback Darious Williams announced on March 7th, 2026.
The Rams needed to bolster their secondary, which ranked 19th in Pro Football Focus' coverage grade from Week 13 onward.
The Rams needed to address their cornerback position due to the retirement of cornerback Darious Williams announced on March 7th, 2026.
The Rams needed to address their cornerback position due to four pending free agents and the retirement of cornerback Darious Williams.
HOW:
The Rams traded their No. 29 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, along with 2026 fifth- and sixth-round selections and a 2027 third-round pick to acquire McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Rams had more than $40 million in cap space prior to the McDuffie trade, which they will now use to strengthen their secondary.
The Rams traded their No. 29 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, along with 2026 fifth- and sixth-round selections and a 2027 third-round pick to acquire McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Rams traded their No. 29 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, along with 2026 fifth- and sixth-round selections and a 2027 third-round pick to acquire McDuffie.
The Rams executed a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs to acquire McDuffie, followed by negotiating a contract extension.
(UPDATED March 9, 2026 23:05 UTC)
In a significant move, the Los Angeles Rams have traded for cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs, with the deal set to become official on March 11. McDuffie has agreed to a four-year contract extension worth $124 million, making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history, with an average annual value of $31 million. This trade comes as the Rams look to strengthen their cornerback position following the retirement of Darious Williams earlier this week.
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(UPDATED March 9, 2026 19:16 UTC)
The Los Angeles Rams have reached an agreement on a three-year deal with cornerback Jaylen Watson, who had an impressive 2025 season with two interceptions, six pass breakups, two sacks, and 64 tackles. This trade for Watson, which was agreed upon last Monday, will become official on March 11 at 4 p.m. ET, as the Rams look to improve their secondary that ranked 19th in coverage grade from Week 13 onward. With over $40 million in cap space before the trade, the Rams are poised to strengthen their defense significantly.
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(UPDATED March 9, 2026 07:17 UTC)
In a significant move, the Los Angeles Rams have acquired cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs, with the trade set to become official on March 11, 2026. McDuffie, who has won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs and recorded three interceptions in his career, expressed a desire to play close to his family, mentioning the Rams as a preferred team during a back-to-school event last August. To secure McDuffie's talents, the Rams traded their No. 29 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, along with additional picks in the fifth and sixth rounds of 2026 and a third-round pick in 2027.
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(UPDATED March 9, 2026 05:23 UTC)
In a significant move, the Los Angeles Rams have agreed to trade for cornerback Trent McDuffie from the Kansas City Chiefs, a deal that will become official on March 11 at 4 p.m. ET. McDuffie set a career-high with 63 tackles during the 2025 season and, with an average annual value of $31 million, he now holds the title of the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. This trade comes as the Rams look to fill the gap left by the retirement of cornerback Darious Williams, which was announced last Monday.
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(UPDATED March 9, 2026 03:44 UTC)
In a significant move for the Los Angeles Rams, the team has signed cornerback Trent McDuffie to a four-year contract extension worth $124 million, which includes $100 million in guaranteed money, making him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. McDuffie, who was acquired from the Kansas City Chiefs in a trade that involved multiple draft picks, will earn an average of $31 million per year and is set to make $13.6 million in 2026 on his fifth-year option. The Rams made this decision to strengthen their cornerback position, especially with four players set to become free agents and the retirement of Darious Williams.