Kansas City, MO – April 26, 2025
The Kansas City Chiefs, aiming to fortify their secondary after a 40-22 Super Bowl LIX loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, are exploring a trade with the Denver Broncos for safety JL Skinner, sources told ESPN on Friday. Pro Football Network’s Sterling Xie pitches Kansas City as the ideal landing spot for the 24-year-old playmaker, filling the void left by Justin Reid’s departure to the Saints.
Skinner, a 2023 sixth-round pick, recorded 18 tackles and a pass deflection in 12 games in 2024, earning a PFF grade of 68.5 (NFL.com). At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, his 4.4-second 40-yard dash speed and 85% tackle success rate align with Steve Spagnuolo’s blitz-heavy, man-coverage scheme, which led the NFL with a 35% blitz rate.
“Skinner’s a rangy disruptor,” a Chiefs source said.
The proposed trade would see the Chiefs send their 2025 fourth-round pick (No. 133) to Denver in exchange for Skinner and a 2025 fifth-round pick (No. 150). With $12.7 million in cap space, Kansas City can absorb Skinner’s $1.2 million cap hit in 2025, the final year of his rookie deal (Spotrac).
“JL’s ready to start,” defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo told reporters, eyeing Skinner as a free safety alongside Bryan Cook and Jaden Hicks. The Broncos, with Brandon Jones and P.J. Locke entrenched, view Skinner as expendable, gaining draft capital for a 2025 rebuild.
Head coach Andy Reid praised the potential move:
“He’s a spark we can use.”
Skinner’s zone coverage (PFF 71.2) and ability to cover for 4.2 seconds per play bolster a pass rush that managed 39 sacks in 2024. As the Chiefs hold six remaining draft picks, this trade could solidify their secondary, priming Mahomes for another Super Bowl run.
