Bills’ roster cuts put spotlight on Chiefs trade that brought Patrick Mahomes to KC

The Chiefs aren’t the only team facing tough roster decisions ahead of the first day of the league year, which begins next week.

Even though the NFL salary cap increase for 2024 was the largest in free-agency history, per CBS Sports, the Chiefs have allowed star cornerback L’Jarius Sneed to explore a trade.

The thought of Sneed leaving is tough for some Chiefs fans to swallow, but things are much worse in Buffalo.

The Bills on Wednesday announced the release of former Chiefs center Mitch Morse, along with safety Jordan Poyer, defensive back Siran Neal, wide receiver Deonte Harty and running back Nyheim Hines.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Bills also plan to release cornerback Tre’Davious White. Poyer and White both were All-Pros during their time in Buffalo.

The number of Buffalo’s cuts led to some jokes being shared on social media. Here are a couple of examples.

Others took note that two of the players who are leaving the Bills were acquired after a 2017 draft-day trade with the Chiefs. Perhaps you remember that deal because the Chiefs selected quarterback Patrick Mahomes on that fateful day.

The Chiefs moved up to 10th overall by sending their first-round pick that year (27th overall) to Buffalo, along with a 2017 third-round choice (No. 91 overall) and KC’s 2018 first-round pick.

The Bills ended up with five players after packaging those picks in trades: White, Neal, linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, wide receiver Zay Jones and offensive lineman Dion Dawkins.

White and Neal are on their way out of Buffalo, while Edmunds is with the Bears and Jones plays for the Jaguars. That means only Dawkins remains from the deal that changed the course of the Chiefs’ franchise forever.

All of those players made solid contributions to the Bills but it highlights just how great of a player Mahomes has been in Kansas City.

In addition to Mahomes leading the Chiefs to three Super Bowl championships, he’s been the MVP of all three of those title games and twice voted the NFL MVP. The Chiefs also have eliminated the Bills from the playoffs in three of the past four seasons.

So while the Bills got a great haul for giving up the pick used on Mahomes, those couldn’t help Buffalo get past the Chiefs in the playoffs.

Here is a look back at when the Chiefs swung the trade and got their man.