KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Retooling the offensive line at the guard position appears a top priority.
As teammate Brian De La Puente blocks Carolina Panthers’ Linden Gaydosh (98), New Orleans Saints’ Ben Grubbs (66) looks to help protect quarterback Drew Brees (9) in the pocket during the second half an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013. The Panthers won 17-13. (AP Photo/Bob Leverone)
The Chiefs traded a fifth-round pick to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for two-time Pro Bowl guard Ben Grubbs, a source confirmed Thursday afternoon with ChiefsDigest.com.
Adam Schefter of ESPN was the first to report the news.
With the Grubbs transaction, Kansas City has addressed the guard position in two straight days. The Chiefs agreed to terms on a three-year deal with Paul Fanaika on Wednesday, and that signing is pending Fanaika passing a physical.
The Chiefs have not announced the transactions for Grubbs and Fanaika.
[UPDATE: The Chiefs announced the signing of Fanaika Thursday evening and the Grubbs trade on Friday.]
The 6-3, 310-pound Grubbs started all 16 games for the Saints in three straight seasons from 2012-14. He earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2013, and provides immediate experience and depth for the Chiefs offensive line.
Grubbs entered the league out of Auburn as a first-round pick (29th overall) of the Baltimore Ravens in the 2007 NFL Draft. He spent five seasons with the Ravens from 2007-11, making his Pro Bowl appearance following the 2001 campaign.
The 31-year-old Grubbs has appeared 122 career games with 118 starts.
Grubbs, a native of Columbus, Ga., is due to earn a base salary of $6.5 million in 2015 and $7.2 million in 2016. He carries a $6.6 million cap hit in 2015, according to overthecap.com.
The Chiefs were projected to have as many as 11 draft slots in the 2015 NFL Draft based on compensatory picks. The loss of the fifth-round pick would leave the Chiefs with 10 picks barring additional moves.
