The Los Angeles Rams have bolstered their 2026 outlook and made a splash in the process, signing newly acquired cornerback Trent McDuffie to a four-year, $124 million extension, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday. The deal, which carries a $31 million average per year, sets NFL records for a cornerback in both total value and annual salary.
A two-time Super Bowl champion and one-time All-Pro with the Kansas City Chiefs, McDuffie joins elite company. Before this extension, only three corners—Sauce Gardner, Denzel Ward, and Jaycee Horn—had career deals topping $100 million, and just Gardner ($30.1M) and Derek Stingley Jr. ($30M) were in the $30M-per-year club. McDuffie now leads the pack.
McDuffie was entering the final year of his rookie contract, scheduled to play under the fifth-year option at $13.63 million, when the Rams acquired him in a trade that included four draft picks, including the No. 29 overall pick in 2026. Los Angeles views him as a cornerstone for a secondary that ranked 19th in passing defense last season during the Rams’ run to the NFC Championship Game.
A 2022 first-rounder originally acquired by Kansas City via trade, McDuffie had 63 tackles, seven pass breakups, and an interception in 13 starts last season before ending the Chiefs’ 6-11 campaign on injured reserve with a knee injury. He has consistently excelled in the NFL, earning 83.1 and 82.9 PFF grades in 2023 and 2024, ranking him among the top six at his position.
Versatile in both slot and outside coverage, McDuffie is a disruptive force against both the pass and the run. Though the Rams paid a steep price in draft capital and cash, they believe McDuffie will be a cornerstone in their pursuit of a Lombardi Trophy for years to come.
