Trent McDuffie, Chiefs Reportedly Not Expected to Reach New Contract Before Season

A contract agreement between the Kansas City Chiefs and star cornerback Trent McDuffie reportedly might have to wait.

Per ESPN's Nate Taylor, McDuffie and the Chiefs are not expected to reach a multiyear contract extension before the start of the regular season on Friday. McDuffie is set to play the 2025 season on the fourth season of his rookie contract and will make a base salary of $2.6 million.

According to Taylor, McDuffie said during Sunday's practice that he's accepted that he likely won't get a new contract before the start of the season.

"Moving forward now, really, it's just about the season and about [Friday's] game," McDuffie said. "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."

While a new deal seemingly won't happen before the season, the Chiefs made it clear they plan to continue contract talks throughout the year.

"We definitely have had dialogue," Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said last week, per Taylor. "He's a guy that'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."

Earlier this offseason, the Chiefs exercised McDuffie's $13.6 million fifth-year option for the 2026 season, meaning they'll have him for one more season even if the two sides don't agree to a new contract within the next year.

McDuffie had the best season of his career in 2024, recording career highs in interceptions (2) and passes defended (13), along with 59 tackles, four quarterback hits and a forced fumble.

McDuffie had an 83.1 overall PFF grade, the third-best among cornerbacks, notching an 80.6 coverage grade on 996 total snaps.

If McDuffie can continue his strong production for the Chiefs, he should be in for a big pay day when it comes time to sign a new deal thanks to cornerback Sauce Gardner reseting the cornerback market with a record-setting four-year, $120.4 million extension with the New York Jets.