Chiefs trade for Reggie Ragland from the Buffalo Bills

Minutes after the Kansas City Chiefs announced the release of LB Josh Mauga they announced they have traded for former second round pick LB Reggie Ragland from the Buffalo Bills. This is Chiefs GM Brett Veach’s first major move as GM.

The Chiefs made the news official in this release:

The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Monday that the club has acquired linebacker Reggie Ragland via trade from the Buffalo Bills in exchange for an undisclosed 2019 draft pick.

And there is this with more details:

The best case scenario is Ragland is your starting inside linebacker within a year. The worst case scenario is that he never plays because he’s not healthy.

Ragland is a 2016 second round pick out of Alabama so this is an interesting signing. Ragland was out all of last season with a knee injury so presumably this trade comes under the condition that Ragland can pass a physical in Kansas City. It was speculated recently with his demotion to the third string in Buffalo that he could be traded. Turns out that speculation was correct.

The Chiefs now have a number of inside linebackers to choose from for Saturday’s NFL roster cut down day. You can assume that for a fourth round pick the Chiefs expect Ragland to make the roster. But he was also third string in Buffalo so I’m not sure he’s a starter. The Chiefs look set with Derrick Johnson and Ramik Wilson in 2017.