Update: The Washington Commanders have officially traded cornerback Marshon Lattimore, beating out the Chiefs and two other unspecified teams.

Given the amount of smoke coming from reputable NFL insiders linking the Kansas City Chiefs and cornerback Marshon Lattimore, it's safe to assume the trade rumors are true. Whether a deal gets done in time for the NFL trade deadline is another question.

NFL reporter Ian Rapoport has learned that the Chiefs and Washington Commanders are among the teams vying for Lattimore's services from the Saints for the remainder of this season. Two other teams are mentioned but not identified.

The Chiefs are apparently looking for a little more help before the league closes the books on any official trades for the duration of the season, even after already completing two deals to bolster the passing game and pass rush. This final deal would help ease the burden on a struggling secondary.

By connecting to Lattimore, the Chiefs would be able to import an instant starter outside of Steve Spagnuolo's defense. The Chiefs have been searching for answers since third-year cornerback Jaylen Watson went down with a broken ankle a few weeks ago, costing him the remainder of the Chiefs season.

Chiefs have tried turning to Joshua Williams in the meantime, but he has been too inconsistent and prone to penalties, while Nazeeh Johnson himself has been in the team's concussion protocol for a couple of weeks. Others on the roster, like Nic Jones and Keith Taylor, are too far down the depth chart to be relied upon in the middle of a historic three-peat championship run.

As for Lattimore, he is a former Defensive Rookie of the Year (2017) after being selected 11th overall in the first round of the draft that same season. He has since made four Pro Bowls, although he has struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons. He finished last season as an injured reserve due to an ankle injury and a lacerated kidney, missing several games in 2022. This year he was forced out of the squad due to a recent hamstring injury, but he was able to play at a high level amid those concerns.