The Kansas City Chiefs are usually active ahead of the NFL trade deadline.
It's reasonable to expect them to be so again in 2026. This year's deadline is November 10th, just a little over one month away. Many believe the Chiefs will be buyers if they make a trade since they're off to a 3-0 start, but they could sell on some underachieving players.
Anudike-Uzomah is listed as a starter on the Chiefs' depth chart, but has played less snaps (88) than rookie R Mason Thomas (95) through the first three games. Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes a departure could be best for both sides, giving Anudike-Uzomah a change of scenery, and Kansas City some extra draft capitol.
"While the Kansas State product has started all three games this season, he has played just 47 percent of the defensive snaps and has logged just two tackles and a sack. It seems like only a matter of time before rookie second-round pick R Mason Thomas becomes the primary complement to George Karlaftis on the edge. Anudike-Uzomah would be well-served to land with another playoff-caliber team that can give him a prominent rotational role and a clearer path to a long-term role than he'll find in Kansas City."
While it's always nice to get an extra draft pick, it isn't likely Kansas City would get a very high one for Anudike-Uzomah. The Chiefs aren't really hurting for draft capitol, and are projected to have 10 picks in the 2027 NFL Draft. Unless they can pull off a rare player-for-player trade, hanging on to Anudike-Uzomah would be in their best interest.
Defensive end is arguably Kansas City's thinnest position on the roster. If Thomas or George Karlaftis sustained a significant injury, Anudike-Uzomah is the only quality player to fill in. Anudike-Uzomah had a nice showing in Week 1 , recording a sack, two quarterback pressures, a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble against the Broncos .
Unfortunately, he's been very quiet since then. The Chiefs' pass rush has struggled as a whole, failing to record a single sack in each of the past two games. Anudike-Uzomah is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, and will be playing hard to earn the best contract he can get — whether it's from Kansas City or another team.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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