Buffalo Bills–Kansas City Chiefs Trade History

On 1962-12-17, Buffalo Bills received rights to George Saimes, while Kansas City Chiefs received "high" draft pick (selection not identified). The final verdict is Kansas City Chiefs Win, with Buffalo Bills graded C+ and Kansas City Chiefs graded B-. The hindsight view follows the documented consideration and later traceable value without treating every named pick outcome as if it had been directly exchanged on trade day. Both sides have identifiable consideration, allowing the hindsight grade to focus on what those assets actually became.

Buffalo Bills received Bill Miller in the exchange with Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs. Bill Miller immediately became a major part of Buffalo's passing game in 1963, catching 69 passes for 860 yards and three touchdowns. Even though his Bills tenure was not especially long, that first-season production was substantial. In hindsight, that direct outcome supports a B grade for Buffalo Bills. The judgment focuses on what this transaction itself produced rather than unrelated later moves.

Buffalo acquired Joe Auer from Kansas City for a future draft choice whose round and eventual selection are not securely identified. Auer played 12 games with seven starts for the 1964 AFL champions and remained with the Bills in 1965 as they repeated. That contribution to two championship rosters gives Buffalo more documented football value than the uncertain draft asset Kansas City received.

Buffalo moved Mike Mercer to Kansas City and received the 1967 fifth-round selection that became No. 131. The Bills later included that asset in the major Daryle Lamonica transaction, giving the pick some secondary leverage. Kansas City received the clearer direct value: Mercer kicked in ten games, made 20 field goals and helped the Chiefs reach Super Bowl I during the 1966 season.

Buffalo reacquired kicker Mike Mercer from Kansas City and received additional game action from a familiar specialist. The Bills gave up a 1968 fifth-round choice that became No. 119, but the later movement of that pick helped Kansas City acquire Remi Prudhomme. Buffalo still received usable kicking value from Mercer, making its side of a balanced chain worthy of a B- grade.

Buffalo acquired Willie Frazier from Kansas City for a sixth-round draft choice, but the exact downstream identity of that pick is not secure. Some records connect it to the 1968 selection used on Mickey McCarty, while the surviving evidence is not strong enough to treat that attribution as certain. Frazier gave Buffalo the documented player return, but the unresolved pick trail keeps the overall exchange balanced.

Buffalo acquired tight end Billy Masters from Kansas City on September 6, 1967, for its 1968 fourth-round draft choice, which became No. 90 Mickey McCarty. Masters played three seasons for the Bills, catching 61 passes for 762 yards and three touchdowns and starting all 14 games in 1969. McCarty appeared in only three NFL games, making Buffalo the clear winner.

Kansas City traded veteran defensive back Bobby Ply to Buffalo on October 6, 1967 for an undisclosed draft choice. Ply appeared in three games for the Bills before finishing the season with Denver. Because the Chiefs' pick remains unidentified in the evidence reviewed, Kansas City's return should be credited only as undisclosed draft capital, while Buffalo's return can be measured as a short three-game stint.

Buffalo Bills received 1968 fifth round pick (#119-Mike McBath); 1968 fifth round pick (#132-Max Anderson) in the exchange with Kansas City Chiefs. Buffalo actually received two fifth-round selections: No. 119 Mike McBath and No. 132 Max Anderson. Together they produced substantial Bills playing time and made the draft package the stronger return. Against Kansas City Chiefs' return of Remi Prudhomme, that result supports a A- grade. The transaction is judged as Buffalo Bills Win, with the mark based on the football value that actually followed from the deal.

Buffalo Bills received Doug Jones in the deal with Kansas City Chiefs. Doug Jones played 40 games with 37 starts for Buffalo from 1976 through 1978 and recorded five interceptions over his first two Bills seasons. That result supports a A- for Buffalo Bills. The Buffalo Bills Win verdict weighs the documented service and usable draft value each side actually realized from the exchange.

Buffalo Bills received 1986 eighth round pick (#202-Tony Furjanic) and 1986 twelfth round pick (#313-Brian McClure). Buffalo used the acquired picks on Tony Furjanic and Brian McClure. Neither selection developed into enough sustained NFL value to make the Bills' side of the exchange stand out. Compared with Kansas City Chiefs' return, the result supports a C grade and fits the Even Trade verdict.

Buffalo re-signed veteran cornerback Charles Romes and traded him to Kansas City in July 1987 for a low-round 1988 choice that became twelfth-round No. 309 John Driscoll. Romes did not produce a lasting Chiefs tenure, while Buffalo at least converted an outgoing veteran into draft capital. The stakes were small, but the Bills extracted the more useful return.

Buffalo acquired veteran defensive lineman Art Still plus the future eighth-round selection used on Marvcus Patton. Still started 31 games for the Bills across 1988 and 1989, while Patton later developed into a significant Buffalo linebacker and starter. Receiving two meaningful contributors from the package gave the Bills strong aggregate value and enough depth of return to edge Kansas City.

Kansas City's trade up for Patrick Mahomes became one of the most important draft moves in NFL history. The Chiefs paid a first-round pick, a third-round pick, and a future first to move up for their quarterback. Buffalo received real assets, but Kansas City acquired the player who launched a dynasty. Buffalo received useful assets, but Kansas City acquired the defining quarterback of the era.

Kansas City acquired Reggie Ragland from Buffalo for a 2019 fourth-round pick. Ragland became a regular Chiefs linebacker, starting 32 games over three seasons and remaining on the roster for the Super Bowl LIV championship year. Buffalo later packaged the acquired No. 131 selection with pick No. 112 to move up for Dawson Knox, who became a long-term starting tight end and Pro Bowler. Both sides created meaningful value.

Buffalo moved from No. 28 to No. 32 in the 2024 first round and added picks 95 and 221, while Kansas City moved up for Xavier Worthy and also received picks 133 and 248. Worthy became an immediate postseason weapon and Jaden Hicks developed into a useful safety. Buffalo later traded No. 32 again, so Xavier Legette was not a direct Bills return. Kansas City has clearly produced more value from this exchange.