The Chiefs tagged linebacker Dee Ford with a thought toward possibly trading him. And there’s apparently interest in trading for him.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Packers and 49ers have expressed interest in trading for Ford.
Trading a franchise-tagged player entails several steps. Before any trade can be accomplished, the player needs to sign the franchise tender. Given that Ford may be plotting an attack on the decision to tag him as an outside linebacker and not a defensive end, he may not be inclined to do that.
If, of course, the Packers or 49ers (or whoever trades for him) would be offering the kind of long-term deal that Ford would find to be suitable, a possible fight over the franchise tag would become secondary to cashing in.
Then there’s the fact that the draft consists of plenty of great pass rushers. Given the rookie wage scale, it could make more sense to roll the dice on a young player over paying Ford a ton of money.
However it plays out, Ford will have plenty of influence over what happens next, with the ability to prevent a trade by refusing to sign the tender and/or by making it clear that he won’t be signing a long-term deal before the July 15 deadline for doing so.