Shortly before the Saints traded Marshon Lattimore to the Commanders, a shortlist of other suitors known to be interested was in place. That included the Chiefs, a team which negotiated with New Orleans in an effort to work out a deal. 
“We understood a [2025 third-round pick] might be involved, but we had to retain some [future picks],” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said, via The Athletic’s Nate Taylor (subscription required). “We approached New Orleans and wanted to do some different pick-swap ideas.”
In the end, the Saints sent the four-time Pro Bowler and a 2025 fifth-round selection to the Commanders for third-, fourth- and sixth-rounders in the upcoming draft. Kansas City represented a logical suitor for Lattimore given the season-ending injury suffered by Jaylen Watson. That ailment, coupled with the offseason trade of fellow corner L’Jarius Sneed, has left the defending champions short on established cover men aside from Trent McDuffie. As was the case with the Ravens, though, the Chiefs were outbid.
“If that was last year, we wouldn’t have made that call,” Veach added. “But there was a sense of, ‘Hey, if we can do this and not mortgage our future completely, then let’s try it.’”
Since Watson suffered a fractured ankle, Kansas City’s secondary has faced struggles and the team currently ranks 18th against the pass. The AFC’s No. 1 seed has exceled in one-score games this year in large part due to the team’s strength against the run, but adding Lattimore would have provided a notable boost to the CB room. Instead, he is set to debut for the Commanders soon; since he is on the books for two more years, Washington’s trade acquisition of Lattimore is not strictly a rental like many in-season swaps.
The Chiefs were active on that front, adding receiver DeAndre Hopkins and edge rusher Josh Uche ahead of the deadline. Both players are pending free agents, so they are in position to help Kansas City’s efforts at a three-peat on a short-term basis. Lattimore would have represented a lengthier commitment had a deal been worked out, but the Chiefs will instead move forward with their incumbent cornerback options.