One thing we already knew about the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2023 NFL draft — they explored trading up in the first round with teams like the Dallas Cowboys.
Andy Reid and Brett Veach revealed after the selection of Felix Anudike-Uzomah that the team had offers to trade back from pick No. 31. Now we know more about the specific details of a trade that didn’t take place, but was close to getting done.
NBC Sports’ Peter King took fans behind the scenes in the Raiders’ draft room for the first round of the 2023 NFL draft for his weekly “Football Morning in America” column. With Notre Dame TE Michael Mayer still on the board, Las Vegas GM Brad Ziegler considered trading back into the first round with Kansas City to grab him.
Here’s what Peter King wrote:
Two picks left, including Kansas City at 31. Mayer on the mind in the draft room. “If KC comes back to us,” Ziegler said, “wanna do it?”
“Yes,” said McDaniels.
“Best tight end in the draft,” Kelly said.
Short conversation with KC. “Not gonna work,” Ziegler said. KC would have given 31 and 217 (sixth round) for 38 and 70, a net on the points chart of minus-147. “Too many players we like,” Ziegler said. (Ziegler, on Friday, traded from 38 to 35 with the Colts to snag Mayer, the tight end Vegas wanted above all.)
Ultimately, the deal the Chiefs presented was too rich for the Raiders. Las Vegas was smart to do so as they traded up from No. 38 to No. 35 on Friday and still managed to get the player they wanted — at the expense of only a fifth-year option and pick No. 141 in the fifth round. They later used pick No. 70 on Alabama DT Byron Young.
As for Kansas City, trading back from No. 31 to No. 38 could have cost them a shot at Kansas State DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah. The Seahawks took Auburn DE Derick Hall at No. 37, and if they had their draft board set in the same way as Kansas City, it’s likely that Anudike-Uzomah would have been their pick had he been available. The Chiefs didn’t get their trade down that they seemingly desired, but it might be for the best in the long run.
