Chiefs Predicted to Target Defensive Lineman Before Trade Deadline: Insiders
The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t necessarily have their best start to the 2025 campaign, but after romping the Las Vegas Raiders 31-0 in Week 7, it’s clear that they are back. With a 4-3 record, the Chiefs are a team on the rise, and unsurprisingly, they will be operating as buyers as the trade deadline draws near.
While Kansas City is certainly playing better as of late, it’s clear that it could use some help at several spots across its roster. With that in mind, the Chiefs have been predicted to target one position in particular ahead of the trade deadline by a pair of insiders, and should they make a move to shore up this spot, it could make them even more dangerous in their quest to get back to the Super Bowl.
Chiefs Expected to Look for Defensive Line Help at Trade Deadline
The Chiefs got off to a concerningly slow start this season, but they have earned victories over the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions before beating the brakes off the Raiders in Week 7. With a 4-3 record, and several key players back on the field after dealing with injuries or suspensions, things are looking up for Kansas City at the perfect time.
There are still issues that K.C. needs to find a way to fix, and it’s clear that the team’s defensive line could use some touching up. Chris Jones is still a superstar at defensive tackle, but he hasn’t gotten much help from his teammates. George Karlaftis III is leading the team with just 3.5 sacks, and through seven games, the team has just 13 total sacks.
Getting some help on the d-line could go a long way to helping take some pressure off of Kansas City’s secondary, which has had to be nearly perfect in coverage with opposing quarterbacks not getting pressured as frequently as usual by the Chiefs’ pass rush. While everyone has been fixated on getting the offense some help, Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN both believe that the Chiefs could be looking to add some help along their defensive line at the trade deadline.
“If the Chiefs add at the deadline, I expect it to be on defense — maybe a veteran edge rusher,” Graziano wrote.
“I do think the Chiefs could add defensive linemen. They are depleted on the interior,” Fowler added.
Who Should the Chiefs Trade for Ahead of the Trade Deadline?
GettyMiami Dolphins pass rusher Bradley Chubb
Should the Chiefs look to bolster this area of their roster, there are a couple of potential trade targets who immediately jump off the page. The best of the bunch are Miami Dolphins‘ defenders Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips, both of whom have seen their names swirl around in trade rumors over the past couple of weeks. With the Dolphins looking awful this season, there’s a decent chance that both of these guys will be up for grabs before the deadline.
Whether or not Kansas City wants to invest in upgrades at this position remains to be seen, but with the team’s Super Bowl window still wide open, there’s a decent chance the front office is going to want to be aggressive when it comes to maximizing their team’s ability to win. As a result, the Chiefs are a team worth keeping tabs on over the next few weeks.
1 Quiet Reason the Raiders' Offense Has Struggled This Season
The Las Vegas Raiders' offense has struggled this season for various reasons, mainly subpar play along the offensive line and at quarterback. However, the lack of playmakers at skill positions, for various reasons, have held the Raiders' offense back.
Raiders Rookies Must Improve
The Raiders invested a second-round pick into drafting Jack Bech, proving how much they believed in him before he ever put a Raiders jersey on. However, Bech must do his part and work through the growing pains only the Raiders' coaching staff knows about.
Bech and Dont'e Thornton were brought in to be two of those playmakers but have yet to make much of an impact. Bech's lack of playing time on an offense in desperate need of help at wide receiver speaks volumes about where Las Vegas' coaching staff believes he is developmentally.
“The more plays that we can log with the new guys, Jack [Bech] and Dont'e [Thornton Jr.], we can show them the things that they need to improve on and the things that they're not quite as sharp on. It helps them. And there's some pain in that too. There's some pain in there that we have to undergo. But it's how you do it,” Carroll said.
“By the time you get to the middle of the season, these guys should have things really cleaned up, and they should be ready to go and we can count on them and they can come through and not be error repeaters, you know? And that's what we're working hard at."
During the Bye Week, Raiders' Wide Receivers Coach Chris Beatty gave an update on the development of both of Las Vegas' wide receivers. If the Raiders can get Bech and Thornton up to speed quickly, it could alleviate some of the issues they are having on offense.
"Some ups and downs. We have got to be more consistent. Both of those guys are learning a lot. Theres good and bad in everything. First couple of games, Dont'e had an explosive play in every game," Beatty said.
"He has kind of fell back a little bit and some of the fundamentals, we have got to continue to build on. Same thing with Jack. They have done okay but there is a lot more out there. So, we will keep pushing them and getting the most out of them."
