Chiefs and Lions trade proposal would send 20-TD young playmaker to Kansas City for Patrick Mahomes

Chiefs and Lions trade proposal would send 20-TD young playmaker to Kansas City for Patrick Mahomes originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The Kansas City Chiefs will be getting back tight end Travis Kelce for a 14th season in 2026, but one NFL analyst believes the team should still begin preparing for life after the future Hall of Famer.

FOX Sports' Ralph Vacchiano proposes a trade that would land the Chiefs tight end Sam LaPorta from the Detroit Lions in a draft-day deal. Kansas City would acquire LaPorta and the No. 17 overall pick in the 2026 draft, while Detroit would add the Chiefs' pick in Round 1 at ninth overall.

A 2027 conditional fourth-round pick would also be involved in the hypothetical trade later down the line. Why would Lions trade for LaPorta? LaPorta had a productive first two seasons in the NFL with 17 total touchdowns.

The Michigan product had 86 receptions during his rookie campaign in 2024, and added another 60 in 2025. However, back surgery limited LaPorta to just nine games and 489 receiving yards in 2026. With LaPorta set to hit free agency next offseason and coming off an injury-riddled season, the Lions could look to move off the 25-year-old a bit early if they don't want to sign him to a long-term extension.