The Kansas City Chiefs have gone from a disaster in offensive line depth in Super Bowl LV to having a surplus of players at the position ahead of the 2021 NFL season.
With roster cuts underway, teams have begun to call Brett Veach about Kansas City’s excess offensive linemen. According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Chiefs have received calls on Super Bowl LIV-winning right guard, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif.
Just as we anticipated back at the beginning of August, Duvernay-Tardif is catching the eye of evaluators who want a starting-caliber offensive lineman. There is, of course, a hold-up preventing any trade from happening right now.
Here’s what Breer had to say about trade interest and the current hold up:
“Everyone’s seemingly looking for offensive line depth, and the Chiefs (the same Chiefs team that’s line collapsed in the Super Bowl) have become a place for teams to look for that help, which is a tribute to the job Kansas City did rebuilding the position. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (who was doing things more important than football last year) has come up in talks, but he’s got a no-trade clause, making it more likely he’ll be on Kansas City’s roster.”
The good doctor opted out of the 2020 NFL season to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic, spending the entire year off the field. He’s also been absent this preseason after breaking a bone in his hand during training camp. Those two issues don’t seem to be problems for teams looking to trade for Duvernay-Tardif.
The issue stems from a contract restructure that was a result of Duvernay-Tardif’s 2020 opt-out. As a part of his restructuring, Duvernay-Tardif received a no-trade clause in his contract. The only way around a no-trade clause is to get the player to agree to a trade and waive it. That means Duvernay-Tardif needs to want to be traded and also approve of his trade destination.
One thing abundantly clear with Duvernay-Tardif: He won’t be the starter in Kansas City in 2021. He might not even be No. 2 on the depth chart when he returns from his hand injury. His best shot at starting this season won’t be with the Chiefs and that’s through no fault of his own. It’s clear he can still play and do so at a very high level. Right now, any trade is contingent on finding him a new home that he approves of, something that isn’t always so easy in the NFL.
As for any financial implications, trading Duvernay-Tardif would cost the Chiefs about $2 million in dead money. It would also save them about $2.75 million against the salary cap.
As Breer indicates, the most likely scenario is that Duvernay-Tardif remains in Kansas City. But as roster cuts continue and teams get more desperate for offensive line help, it’s possible that the veteran could be swayed into a move from his NFL home of the last seven seasons.
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