Hindsight is 20/20, but it’s clear to many that the Kansas City Chiefs would’ve been wise to make a move at the 2025 NFL trade deadline. General manager Brett Veach failed to bring anyone in on either side of the ball, catching plenty of flak in the process.
One near-trade did get reported, though. Apparently, Kansas City made a serious push to pry running back Breece Hall from the New York Jets. That fell through, and there’s another close call Veach found himself on the wrong end of.
Per a Sunday morning report from Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Chiefs almost landed Seattle Seahawks defensive end/linebacker Boye Mafe.
Report: Chiefs Nearly Acquired Boye Mafe From Seahawks at Trade Deadline
“A near deal: At Tuesday’s NFL deadline, the Chiefs made a late strong push to acquire Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe, per sources,” Schefter’s tweet began. “Some thought the deal would get done; one source even thought it was completed. But right before the deadline, Seattle opted to hold on to Mafe.”
It goes without saying that bringing in an edge rusher like Mafe is an intriguing prospect. The former 2022 second-round pick has 19 sacks on his resume, spanning across 57 regular-season contests (34 starts). His best season undoubtedly came back in 2023, when he had career-highs in tackles (52), tackles for loss (9), quarterback hits (16), sacks (9) and passes defended (6).
Last year was a solid one for Mafe, but he played in five fewer contests. As a result, his volume stats came back down and his play didn’t replicate the level of the year prior. Seattle has yet to offer him a contract extension, meaning he would’ve been a rental for Kansas City or whomever moved to acquire him.
Mafe, who turns 27 on November 30, registered his first sack of the year in Week 10’s 44-22 drubbing of the Arizona Cardinals. He has 24 total pressures this year, good for 38th at his position. His 68.5 Pro Football Focus overall grade ranks 45th out of 110 edge players, with his 68.9 pass rush grade slotting in all the same.
Unfortunately for the Chiefs, they couldn’t strike a deal.
Kansas City’s Confusing Pass Rush Could’ve Used Addition
Assessing this year’s Chiefs defense is tricky. On one hand, per SumerSports, they rank 11th in EPA/play and are eighth in EPA/pass surrendered. Steve Spagnuolo’s unit also sits sixth in points per drive and is fourth in overall scoring entering Week 11. That’s great territory to be in, but it only paints a partial picture.
Other metrics aren’t as kind to Kansas City. Its run defense, in particular, is quite poor with a No. 25 ranking. Against the pass, the Chiefs get obliterated in the middle of the field. It’s the single biggest weak spot of their coverage. A confusing pass rush ties into that, and narrowing down the true value of that aspect is much easier said than done.
Take your pick of a benchmark for the Chiefs’ ability to get after the quarterback. If you want a rosy outlook, they’re fourth in non-blitz pressure rate and eighth in overall pressure rate. If you’re seeking a more realistic depiction, they’re 21st in ESPN’s pass rush win rate and dead last in quarterback hurry clip (3.1%). All-Pro Chris Jones is in a three-way tie for second on the team with just 2 sacks.
The truth is likely somewhere in the middle. Spagnuolo, a mad scientist of a defensive coordinator, boasts some of football’s most exotic and effective blitz packages. This year, he’s had to use some of them out of necessity. Jones, in addition to being undisciplined, simply isn’t as effective as he once was. Defensive end George Karlaftis, statistically, is carrying the pass rush. None of Charles Omenihu, Mike Danna or rookie Ashton Gillotte has broken out yet.
Mafe surely could’ve helped, even with his single 2025 sack.
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