Nobody is accusing the Kansas City Chiefs of being idle this offseason. In late January, they made an unexpected move sending quarterback Alex Smith to the Washington Redskins in exchange for promising young cornerback Kendall Fuller and a 2018 third round draft pick. Today, Adam Schefter reported the Chiefs are in the final phases of a deal to trade Marcus Peters, their two-time Pro Bowl cornerback, to the Los Angeles Rams.
Chiefs are expected to trade CB Marcus Peters to the Los Angeles Rams, sources tell ESPN. Teams are in final stages of talks and barring an unexpected snag, the trade is expected to be agreed to as early as today.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 23, 2018
Kansas City Chiefs Set to Trade Marcus Peters to Los Angeles Rams
The Rams overachieved in 2017 under head coach Sean McVay but fell short in the Wild Card round with a loss to the Atlanta Falcons. In that game, quarterback Matt Ryan threw a touchdown late in the fourth quarter to seal a 26-13 victory.
Making Some Moves
The Rams front office is taking a big swing to improve on their pass defense which ranked 13th in passing yards allowed last year. Now they look to add Peters, an impact player who can lock down his side of the field. This acquisition would allow defensive coordinator Wade Phillips to open up the playbook even more. Since he entered the league in 2015, Peters has allowed the second-lowest passer rating (66.8) when targeted. He also has the most interceptions (21 including playoffs) in the NFL during that three-year span.
It’s relatively unusual to see a young player of this caliber traded. At 25 years old, Peters is just getting started in his already impressive career. He earned Rookie of The Year honors in 2015 by snagging an incredible eight interceptions. Even more impressive, he took two of those in for touchdowns. Peters has the ability to play on either side of the field effectively. The Rams would welcome his lockdown pass coverage and versatility to an already talented defense.
Peters is in the final year of his rookie contract. He will only count as a $1.74 million cap hit in 2018. This trade fills the Rams need for a cornerback as current starter Trumaine Johnson enters free agency. Johnson has played under the franchise tag for the past two seasons.
