Who Has The Leverage For Trent McDuffie Extension?
 

I've seen people on social media and other websites say that the Chiefs messed up by not extending McDuffie right after the Super Bowl. The logic being that the price is only going to go up. First, that assumes that McDuffie and his agent were willing to immediately sign and we don't know that.

Second, does McDuffie actually have the leverage here? Let's assume McDuffie wants to reset the corner market. That will be over 30M APY after we just recently saw Stingley sign his deal.

The Chiefs are paying 4M in 2025 for McDuffie. And 13M for McDuffie in 2026. That's what he's under contract for. His name is on the dotted line. Then in 2027 we can franchise tag for a below market value price. And we could even tag him again in 2028 for probably below market price. That's 4 full seasons of below market pay.

If Veach decided to play hardball here we could delay McDuffie's free agency until he is 29 years old without ever having to pay him market value.

Are there any NFL teams who want to break the bank for a 29 year corner? This isn't QB or OL or DL where guys can play forever and remain elite well into their 30s. A 29 year old corner is not a good candidate for a long term, mega deal unless the guaranteed money is very low.

Makes you really consider, it seems like the Chiefs have all the leverage here. Not McDuffie.

Price ain't goin up. They know the price now. It is what it is.

The starting price for an extension starts at the 2 tags. Work from there.

The Chiefs don't have to pay him what he wants. McDuffie is under contract for 2 more years. And then we can tag him. If we want to play hardball he ain't getting anywhere close to top of the market.

He's a cornerstone pro bowl player.

They're not gonna jerk him around.

Jerk him around? He's under contract.

I do. I’m going in hard. No lube.

Oh wait, sorry. I thought we were talking about me and your sister

Bit creepy since my sister is 14.

Making a guy of that caliber ride out the tag and such would be seen as jerking around.

Then why does the tag exist? He has no leverage.

Veatch. He drafts gems (McDuffie was a little different since 1st round, but still) in the secondary. McDuffie will get a deal done in the next year or so if he is willing to take a kind of Bobby Witt Jr hometown deal (not saying the length or the $ but BWJ took what looks like now a hell of a discounted deal to stay here) or he will be traded after probably one year of franchise tag. He is not getting record breaking corner deal money here, and he shouldn't. Hell of a player but if your expertise is finding secondary players, you don't pay any of them record money.

Agree completely. Team friendly deal or tag and trade in 2028.

Corners don't run this league. QBs and Linemen do.

No way to know what's going on behind the scenes. But if McDuffie and his agent think they are going to reset the corner market then they don't understand how this organization operates. Corner is not a premium position.

So are you 12?

If so that would make a lot of sense.

No, my dad had a 2nd child at 45.

You said words, but other than No, none of that means anything.

So 15 then?