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Analyst Floats Chiefs–Lions Draft Swap to Acquire Sam LaPorta as Kelce Successor

The suggestion underscores outside pressure for Kansas City to plan life after Travis Kelce.

Overview

  • Fox Sports' Ralph Vacchiano proposed in April 2026 that Kansas City send the No. 9 pick to Detroit for tight end Sam LaPorta, the No. 17 pick, and a conditional 2027 selection.
  • Sporting News and Yahoo Sports presented the scenario as a hypothetical exercise with no indication of actual negotiations between the teams.
  • Vacchiano’s case centers on succession planning, noting 36-year-old Travis Kelce re-signed for 2026 but could be nearing the end of his career.
  • LaPorta produced strong early numbers, then had back surgery that limited him to nine games and 489 yards in 2026, and he is entering the final year of his contract.
  • Analysts say the price could range from a second-round pick to a first-round swap, and Kansas City’s extra picks from the Trent McDuffie trade could make such a move possible on paper.