Trent McDuffie, a two-time All-Pro, is set to start the 2025 NFL season without a new multiyear contract, as the Kansas City Chiefs fail to lock the cornerback’s future down.
Despite ongoing discussions over the past six weeks, the Chiefs and McDuffie have not reached an agreement meaning that the 24-year-old will enter his fourth NFL season on the base salary of $2,613,066.
“Moving forward now, really, it’s just about the season and about [Friday’s] game,” McDuffie said before the team’s practice. “I’m not too worried about the contract.
“That can just happen in the [next] offseason. Let’s just go out there and have a great year.”
Known for his coverage ability and durability, McDuffie recorded career highs last season with 13 pass breakups, two interceptions, 59 tackles, four quarterback hits, and one forced fumble.
He also played 996 defensive snaps and lined up fewer than three yards from an opposing receiver on 63.5% of those snaps, an unprecedented rate over the last seven seasons for defenders with at least 250 snaps in press-man coverage, according to Next Gen Stats.
Chiefs general manager Brett Veach emphasized McDuffie‘s importance to the franchise while acknowledging ongoing discussions.
“He’s a guy that’s obviously a special player,” Veach told reporters. “We’re going to continue that dialogue, and hopefully something gets worked out.
“I think things have been good. Trent is obviously going to be a priority.”
Why doesn’t McDuffie have a new contract yet?
McDuffie will face the Los Angeles Chargers in the season opener on Friday in Sao Paulo, Brazil, a high-profile matchup marking the Chiefs’ international debut for 2025.
The challenge in negotiating a new deal stems from recent market shifts. Back in July, the New York Jets signed cornerback Sauce Gardner, the fourth pick in the 2022 draft, to a four-year, $120.4 million extension, including $85.653 million guaranteed.
To surpass that deal, the Chiefs would need to make McDuffie the league’s highest-paid cornerback, it’s a significant financial commitment even for a team of Kansas City’s caliber as they look to retain their supremacy in the AFC West.
Since being drafted out of Washington in 2022, he has been a central figure in the Chiefs’ continued dominance after being Sselected with a Kansas City’s first-round pick. Following the Tyreek Hill trade, he quickly became a starter.
McDuffie has helped solidify the Chiefs‘ back-to-back Super Bowl victories and their historic third consecutive Super Bowl appearance last season. For example, in postseason play, he has recorded 13 pass breakups, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery over 10 games.
The Chiefs exercised the fifth-year option on his rookie contract in April, guaranteeing a $13.6 million salary for 2026. Trent has expressed his commitment to the franchise despite the absence of an extension.
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