KANSAS CITY, Mo. — New Chiefs general manager Brett Veach continues wheeling and dealing, this time picking up former first-round draft pick Cameron Erving from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick in next year’s draft.
The Kansas City Chiefs acquired offensive lineman Cameron Erving from the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft on Aug. 30, 2017. (Photo courtesy Browns PR, Browns.com)
The 6-foot, 5-inch, 313-pound Erving struggled to find a home in Cleveland. The Browns drafted the Florida State offensive lineman with the No. 19 overall pick of the 2015 draft.
Erving played 29 games for the Browns over the past two seasons with 17 starts. He spent his rookie season at guard, struggling as he learned a new position. The Browns moved him to center last season after the departure of Alex Mack.
The team moved him to right tackle near the end of the season. The former college left tackle appears a more natural fit at tackle, and could meet the Chiefs’ need for a swing tackle.
Erving signed a four-year, $9.4 million contract including a $5.1 million signing bonus. The prorated bonus hits against Cleveland’s salary cap, with the team absorbing a $2.56 million charge against the cap this year.
The Chiefs assume the two-year remaining on Erving’s contract which also includes a fifth-year option. His base salaries are $1.29 million for 2017 and $1.72 million in 2018. Both salaries are guaranteed.
Veach said last week he did not expect the team to be active this weekend during the NFL waiver wire period following the cutdown from 90 to 53 players. The Chiefs stand 27th in line for waiver claims. That means 26 other teams must pass on any player the Chiefs want to claim.
Trading for players before they hit waivers is one way for Veach to acquire players he wants that he does not believe will fall to the Chiefs.
The NFLPA public salary cap report showed the Chiefs with $8,667,192 in available cap space before the trade for Erving.
The Chiefs have now dealt way three of their picks in the 2018 NFL draft. The team earlier included their first-round pick in a package deal to Buffalo for the No. 10 pick this year. The team used that choice on quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Last year the club dealt their seventh-round pick to San Francisco in exchange for cornerback Kenneth Acker.
The team acquired an undisclosed conditional pick last year from Arizona in exchange for cornerback Marcus Cooper.
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Matt Derrick is the lead beat writer for ChiefsDigest.com. Use the contact page to reach him or find him on Twitter: @MattDerrick.
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