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.
Jordan Love shrugging off magnitude of clash with Aaron Rodgers
The Green Bay Packers travel to western Pennsylvania to square off against Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football in Week 8. The prime time matchup marks the first time the future Hall of Famer has faced his former team since departing Green Bay after the 2022 season. But Rodgers is downplaying the revenge game narrative surrounding Sunday’s clash.
His counterpart and former teammate Jordan Love struck a similar tone when discussing the Week 8 showdown.
“At the end of the day, I think it’s another game. Obviously going into this week, it’s going to be one of those very talked about matchups,” Love acknowledged, per USA Today’s Ryan Wood. “We’re not going against each other head to head, but obviously it’s going to be a fun game. We’re both competitors. We both want to come out with this win. So I’m just excited to see him,” Love said.
The Packers passed the torch to Jordan Love
Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
“Just from my time with A-Rod and his time with the Packers it’s going to be hyped up. But at the end of the day it’s another game. I’m going against the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense and he’s going against the Green Bay Packers’ defense,” Love added.
Rodgers spent 18 seasons in Green Bay, winning Super Bowl XLV with the team and collecting four MVP Awards, four first-team All-Pro honors and 10 Pro Bowl nods.
Despite winning league MVP in 2020 (and again the following season), the Packers traded up to select Love 26th overall in the 2020 draft. The move came as a surprise and bore a striking resemblance to Green Bay’s decision to draft Rodgers in the first round (24th overall) of the 2005 draft despite having three-time MVP Brett Favre.
But while Favre famously remarked that it wasn’t his job to mentor the player drafted to replace him, Rodgers reportedly had a positive relationship with Love. Still, the writing was on the wall and the team traded Rodgers to the New York Jets in 2023.
The Packers passed the torch to Love, hoping he would join Bart Starr, Favre and Rodgers in Green Bay’s rich quarterbacking history.
Now with the Steelers, Rodgers helped Pittsburgh to a 4-2 start. In Week 8, the 41-year-old passer faces a 4-1-1 Packers team that leads the NFC North. Head coach Matt LaFleur also downplayed the Rodgers narrative for Sunday’s game. LaFleur noted most current Packers players weren’t on the team when Rodgers last quarterbacked Green Bay during the 2022 season.
