3 trade targets to get Chiefs past Bills in the playoffs

The Chiefs couldn’t get past the Buffalo Bills in Week 6, but they’ll likely have another chance in the postseason. These trade targets would ready them. 

The Kansas City Chiefs lost the highly-anticipated Week 6 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The game, which went down to the wire, could very well be a preview of this year’s AFC Championship, and both teams ought to recognize that they’re right there.

Ahead of this year’s trade deadline, both Buffalo’s and Kansas City’s management knows that they could make marginal — or bigger — moves to leapfrog the other team which are expected to be No. 1 and No. 2 in the AFC. The decisions at the deadline could very well determine who represents the conference in this year’s Super Bowl.

Of course, with how bad the NFC looks, this year is a big one for teams in the AFC to prepare for.

Here are some targets the Chiefs could look at in order to get themselves past the Bills, who right now, they’re neck-and-neck with.

Note: These targets are listed in no particular order.

Chiefs trade targets: RB Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers

Christian McCaffrey is available according to Adam Schefter of ESPN, and the Chiefs could dramatically upgrade their running back room by trading for him.

KC is averaging 4.4 yards per rushing attempt, exactly middle-of-the-road at 16th in the NFL. Isaiah Pacheco is averaging 4.8, Clyde Edwards-Helaire 4.3, and Jeremy McKinnon 4.0. McCaffrey comes right below Pacheco at 4.6.

FanSided’s Matt Verderame broke things down as far as what the incoming and outgoing might be influenced by:

"The case Carolina will make for receiving a nice package? McCaffrey has played all six games this season, and he’s on pace for 1,898 total yards. And, for the team which acquires McCaffrey, they only take on minimal guaranteed money and less than $1 million of a cap hit this year, based on his prorated base salary. Ultimately, the Panthers are on the hook for a high-paid running back with a major injury history. They’ll want a quality pick or two for the dead cap hits to be worth it, while any team acquiring him will argue he’s a huge risk, hoping to keep cost down."

Here’s what Matt Conner of Arrowhead Addict had to say about the potential fit between KC and McCaffrey:

"On the surface, without reflecting upon any financial realities, the Chiefs could be a prime destination for a place like Christian McCaffrey. The running back by committee approach has looked solid for Kansas City but the position overall could absolutely be upgraded and McCaffrey would represent a clear boost for an offense that already has no problem moving the chains and averaging 30-plus each week."

Obviously, the finances are difficult to work out so while McCaffrey might be an optimal player to trade for in terms of roster fit and need, it’s hard to see it coming to fruition.