Chiefs Eye Trade with Rams to Nab Chris Jones’ Heir in Draft Shake-Up

Kansas City, MO – March 28, 2025 | ESPN Staff

The Kansas City Chiefs aren’t resting on their Super Bowl LIX loss to the Eagles—they’re plotting a bold move in the 2025 NFL Draft. Sitting at pick No. 31, the Chiefs could trade up with the Los Angeles Rams to snag Oregon Ducks defensive lineman Derrick Harmon as a future replacement for aging star Chris Jones, per NFL.com’s Eric Edholm.

Jones, 31, notched just 5 sacks in 2024 but still earned his third straight First-Team All-Pro nod. He’s a wrecking ball—when healthy—but his $44.8M cap hit in 2026 looms large on his five-year, $158M deal, with a potential out in 2027 (Spotrac). Kansas City knows life after Jones is coming, and Harmon might be the answer.

Edholm notes the Chiefs’ DT drought: “From 2016-2019, they grabbed six interior linemen, five in the top 85; since then, just one—Keondre Coburn, a sixth-rounder in ’23.” Harmon, a Second-Team AP All-American last season (11 TFLs, 5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles), brings length and twitch to learn from Jones while spelling him now.

The Rams, with pick No. 23, could slide back, giving KC a shot to leapfrog AFC rivals hungry for D-line help. Harmon’s not just a project—he’s a plug-in piece for a Chiefs defense that needs juice alongside Jones, Calais Campbell, and Jerry Tillery.

Chiefs Kingdom’s buzzing on X: “Harmon for Jones’ torch? Veach is cooking!” one fan posted. With the April 24-26 draft closing in, Brett Veach might pull the trigger to keep this dynasty humming. Stay tuned—this could be a game-changer.