Report: Chiefs Trade Late-Round Pick for Cardinals LB

The night before the 2024 roster cutdown deadline, Kansas City is adding to its pass rush and sending a seventh-round pick out.

Dec 12, 2022; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals linebacker Cameron Thomas (97) against the New England Patriots at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

On Monday afternoon, the Kansas City Chiefs attempted to get out ahead of the NFL's 2024 roster cutdown deadline by parting ways with a good handful of players. They also made an addition, however, reuniting with an old friend in wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.

As it turns out, that wasn't the only external acquisition the back-to-back champs completed on Monday. According to a late-night report from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Chiefs are trading a seventh-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for outside linebacker Cameron Thomas.

Sources: The #AZCardinals have traded LB Cam Thomas to the #Chiefs for a 7th round pick. Some added edge help.

The deal was facilitated by agent @chriscabott of @EquitySports. pic.twitter.com/pVqAI0Il2m

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 27, 2024

Thomas, 24, had been with the Cardinals for two seasons and was set to enter his third with the club. The former San Diego State standout logged 39 tackles for loss and 21 sacks in four collegiate campaigns with the Aztecs, boosting his stock with solid pre-draft athletic testing. That led to him being selected 87th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Since then, however, things haven't gone swimmingly for Thomas. Following a three-sack rookie campaign, he didn't log a single sack last season and had just one quarterback hit in 15 games. That's despite playing 355 snaps on defense for Arizona (and another 119 on special teams), so it wasn't necessarily due to a lack of opportunity. One of his most notable plays as a Cardinal was scoring the team's first touchdown of 2023 on a fumble recovery.

Now more of a down lineman than a linebacker for Kansas City (defensive scheme fits differ), Thomas just enjoyed a solid 2024 preseason with Arizona. With that said, the Cardinals felt comfortable enough with their depth to move him. Donnie Druin of Arizona Cardinals On SI documented head coach Jonathan Gannon's recent thoughts on the situation.

In 200 opportunities to rush the passer a season ago, Thomas recorded 16 pressures. His conversion rate for his career is 35 pressures in 355 such chances, which could play along Steve Spagnuolo and Joe Cullen's defensive line. The 6-foot-4, 267-pounder will now attempt to latch on with a Kansas City rotation that is headlined by George Karlaftis and Mike Danna but supported by Malik Herring and Felix Anudike-Uzomah until Charles Omenihu returns from injury.

Read More: Kansas City Chiefs Roster Cuts, News, Analysis, Practice Squad Tracker