Chiefs acquire former 1st-rounder Hughes from Vikings
The Kansas City Chiefs acquired cornerback Mike Hughes, a first-round pick in 2018, from the Minnesota Vikings, the clubs announced Thursday.
Minnesota gets back a sixth-round selection in 2022 while Hughes and a seventh-round choice in 2022 head to Kansas City.
Hughes never fulfilled the potential that Minnesota saw in him, though injury issues stunted his development. He played in only 24 games over three seasons with the Vikings, and neck problems limited him to four appearances in 2020.
When he entered the NFL out of UCF, Hughes was billed as a raw prospect whose athletic prowess helped make up for his lack of size. His skill set appeared tailored for a scheme that would allow him to play off the line of scrimmage and use his athleticism and vision to come downhill to make plays.
Hughes surrendered a 102.1 passer rating in coverage over his time with the Vikings. He recorded a pair of interceptions and 13 pass breakups, collecting most of his stats during his relatively healthy 2019 season.
The 24-year-old will join a young crop of cornerbacks with the Chiefs, who have Charvarius Ward, L'Jarius Sneed, Rashad Fenton, and Deandre Baker atop their depth chart.
The Vikings previously declined the fifth-year option on Hughes' rookie contract, meaning he'll become a free agent after the upcoming campaign.