It will be hard for anyone to match the Chiefs in blockbuster trades during the 2018 NFL offseason.
Kansas City is set to deal top cornerback Marcus Peters to the Los Angeles Rams when the new league year starts March 14. The Chiefs keep adding to their draft picks after already agreeing to send quarterback Alex Smith to the Redskins.
Peters, who turned 25 in January, is already a two-time Pro Bowler heading into his fourth season. On the surface, Los Angeles is acquiring a key young playmaker for Wade Phillips' defense. Beyond that, here's what the trade means for the Chiefs and the Rams, plus its impact on upcoming NFL free agency.
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Chiefs: Feeling Fuller on the outside
The Chiefs were about to have less than $13,000 in salary cap space (per OverTheCap.com). When Smith and Peters are officially traded, the team will clear close to $19 million.
Looking back, the Chiefs getting up-and-coming corner Kendall Fuller back from the Redskins for Smith makes even more sense. Fuller emerged as an elite slot cover man for Washington between Josh Norman and Bashaud Breeland. Now Fuller will graduate to be No. 1 outside, with former Redskin and Raider David Amerson, signed earlier in the week, providing much-needed depth.
Fuller, only 23, is 5-11, 198 pounds and coming off a four-interception season. Peters has similar size (6-0, 197 pounds) and recent production (5 INTs in 2017), suggesting to the Chiefs they have a more than adequate, younger replacement.
For now, Stephen Nelson, who was on IR for the front half of 2017 with a knee injury and becomes a free agent in 2019, will remain the best No. 2 option. Phillip Gaines and Terrance Mitchell were ineffective and shouldn't be retained as free agents. Kenneth Acker also is unsigned for 2018.
Cornerback was a big need for the Chiefs in the draft, and with Fuller now replacing Peters instead of complementing him, the position remains a high priority. Elsewhere defensively, moving Peters should allow the Chiefs to keep edge-rushing outside linebacker Justin Houston.
Rams: Moving on from Johnson
While Fuller takes over for Peters in Kansas City, Peters displaces hard-fading Trumaine Johnson as Los Angeles' top cornerback. The trade all but confirms the Rams, even with more than $40 million in cap space, won't re-sign Johnson.
Instead, the Rams can focus on their true priority in the secondary, elite safety Lamarcus Joyner. He is their top free agent at any position, the Rams shouldn't hesitate to use the franchise tag on Joyner at an approximate one-year tender value of $11 million. In turn, that would push the Rams to a long-term deal for wide receiver Sammy Watkins or see him hit free agency.
It would be smarter for the Rams to let Watkins walk if it means being able to bring back another corner, Nickell Robey-Coleman, a solid slot man. With Joyner also proving he can be a strong nickel back, keeping Robey-Coleman intact with Troy Hill provides ample insurance for No. 2 corner Kayvon Webster, who's coming off an injury-riddled season marred most by a torn Achilles in December.
Peters has one more year on his rookie deal plus a club option for 2019, so that gives the Rams some time to figure out how to pay him in line with the game's most highly compensated corners. That's another reason not to overpay Watkins beyond 2018 with Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp and Josh Reynolds as a fine trio for Jared Goff.
NFL free agency: Resetting corner market
Malcolm Butler remains the most coveted free agent at the position, but now teams know Johnson will be available, too. The Colts' Rashaan Melvin and the Bears' Kyle Fuller are unrestricted free agents with more upside than that of Johnson, who turned 28 in January. Much of the other corners are clear slot or seasoned No. 2-types.
Johnson isn't close to being worth the $16.7 million he earned from the Rams in 2017, but he remains a playmaker with good No. 1 experience. For several cornerback-needy teams, he becomes a comparable consolation prize behind Butler. That also will make Breeland, who can be a No. 1 away from Norman, start fo feel more like a relative bargain.
Expect Butler to get the richest deal of three ($13 million per season), with Johnson ($11 million per) and Breeland ($10 million) commanding slightly less.
