The Kansas City Chiefs are not expected to reach an agreement over a new contract with star cornerback Trent McDuffie ahead of the new NFL season.
The 24-year-old, a first-round draft pick in 2022, was a key player as the Chiefs won back-to-back Super Bowls in 2022 and 2023.
According to ESPN, the Chiefs have been in negotiations with McDuffie for the past six weeks over a multi-year contract extension.
But nothing has been finalized ahead of the Chiefs’ opening game of the 2025 season on Friday, when they faceĀ the Los AngelesĀ Chargers in Sao Paulo.
McDuffie has established himself as a crucial part of Steve Spagnuolo’s defense in Kansas City.
But he is expected to earn a base salary of just $2.6million as he enters the fourth year of his rookie contract.
‘Moving forward now, really, it’s just about the season and about (Friday’s) game,’ McDuffie said on Sunday.
‘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.’
But Chiefs general manager Brett Veach admitted that it is a ‘priority’ for Kansas City to secure the future of a ‘special’ cornerback.
‘We definitely have had dialogue,’ Veach said recently. ‘He’s obviously a special player.
‘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.’
McDuffie enjoyed the best season of his career as the Chiefs reached a third-straight Super Bowl in 2024.
He amassed a career-high two interceptions and 13 pass breakups. The 24-year-old also recorded 59 tackles, one forced fumble and four quarterback hits.
