Ravens Trade Rookie Offensive Tackle Diego Pounds to Chiefs for Conditional Draft Pick
The Baltimore Ravens have turned a strong preseason from undrafted rookie offensive tackle Diego Pounds into future draft capital.
Baltimore traded Pounds to the Kansas City Chiefs as the Ravens continued working toward their final 53-man roster. According to multiple reports, Kansas City is sending Baltimore a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2028 NFL Draft in exchange for Pounds.
The move is notable because Pounds had done almost everything possible to improve his stock during the preseason. Instead of simply releasing a player who appeared to be on the roster bubble, Baltimore found a trade partner willing to surrender a future draft asset.
That is good roster management for the Ravens, even if Pounds eventually develops into a useful offensive tackle in Kansas City.
Pounds impressed during Ravens preseason
Pounds joined the Ravens as an undrafted free agent following the 2026 NFL Draft after finishing his college career at Ole Miss.
The 6-foot-6 tackle quickly became one of Baltimore’s more intriguing developmental offensive linemen during training camp and the preseason. According to Pro Football Focus data reported by multiple outlets, Pounds played 58 preseason snaps at left tackle and did not surrender a pressure on 26 pass-blocking opportunities.
His work against the Minnesota Vikings particularly caught attention. Pounds earned a 92.9 overall PFF grade and a 95.7 zone-blocking grade in that game, showing both movement skills and power in the running game.
Pounds finished Baltimore’s three preseason games without allowing a pressure.
For an undrafted rookie competing at one of football’s most valuable positions, that was an encouraging introduction to the NFL.
Ravens had a crowded tackle situation
The trade appears to be much more about Baltimore’s roster numbers than anything Pounds did wrong.
Ronnie Stanley remains established at left tackle, while Roger Rosengarten gives Baltimore another cornerstone tackle. Second-year lineman Carson Vinson had also been competing to become the Ravens’ primary swing tackle behind Stanley and Rosengarten.
That left Pounds fighting for one of the final offensive-line positions.
Baltimore faced a familiar roster-cut dilemma: keep an impressive developmental player despite limited immediate playing time, attempt to get him onto the practice squad or find value on the trade market.
The Ravens chose the third option.
Baltimore gets something for a player it did not draft
That part of the deal should not be overlooked.
Baltimore invested no draft selection in Pounds. The Ravens signed him after he went undrafted, developed him throughout the spring and summer, gave him preseason opportunities and then converted that investment into a conditional future draft pick.
If the reported compensation ultimately becomes a sixth-rounder, Baltimore will have essentially created a draft asset from an undrafted free-agent signing.
That does not necessarily mean the Ravens “won” the trade. Kansas City clearly believes Pounds has enough upside to justify giving up future capital, and his preseason performance suggests the Chiefs may have acquired a legitimate developmental tackle.
But Baltimore was facing a deadline and a numbers crunch. Receiving something for a player who might otherwise have been waived represents a positive outcome.
Pounds brings considerable college experience to Kansas City
Pounds was far from a typical inexperienced undrafted rookie.
He began his college career at North Carolina before transferring to Ole Miss. Pounds played 18 games over two seasons with the Tar Heels before eventually becoming a regular starter.
After transferring, Pounds became Ole Miss’ starting left tackle. He started nine games for the Rebels in 2024 before starting all 15 games in 2025.
His final season included an SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week honor following Ole Miss’ game against Arkansas.
Pounds eventually earned third-team All-SEC honors from the conference’s coaches following the 2025 season.
He appeared in 45 college games between North Carolina and Ole Miss, giving him significantly more experience than many developmental offensive linemen entering the NFL.
His 2025 pass protection was especially encouraging. PFF data credited Pounds with allowing no sacks, three quarterback hits and 13 hurries, while committing only two penalties.
That background helps explain Kansas City’s willingness to make the deal.
Chiefs continue addressing offensive-line depth
Kansas City has been active in strengthening its offensive line before the regular season.
The Chiefs had already traded for offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu from the New York Giants before acquiring Pounds.
Pounds gives Kansas City another large, experienced tackle who has predominantly played on the left side. At roughly 6-foot-6 and more than 330 pounds, he has the frame NFL teams covet at the position.
Pre-draft evaluations generally viewed Pounds as a developmental prospect with NFL size and length. His experience, strength and physical dimensions made him an intriguing prospect, although his technique and consistency still required development.
Those are exactly the type of traits Kansas City can attempt to develop behind its established starters.
Another sign of the Ravens’ roster depth
The Pounds transaction is also an indication of just how competitive Baltimore’s final roster decisions have become.
The Ravens went 3-0 during the preseason, closing the exhibition schedule with a dominant 41-3 victory over the Washington Commanders. Baltimore has consequently been sorting through several difficult decisions at the bottom of its roster.
Pounds was not the only player Baltimore turned into draft capital during the final cutdown period. The Ravens also reportedly traded defensive tackle C.J. Okoye to the New York Giants for a 2028 seventh-round selection.
When teams are willing to trade draft picks for players Baltimore may not have enough room to keep, it says something positive about the depth of the Ravens’ preseason roster.
There is always risk involved. Pounds could develop into a starting-caliber tackle, and Baltimore could eventually wish it had found room for him.
But roster construction requires decisions based on the team Baltimore has today, not simply every player’s theoretical upside.
MSB Take
This is the type of move the Ravens should make when they have legitimate roster depth.
Pounds played well enough that simply cutting him would have been disappointing. He showed legitimate promise during the preseason and gave Baltimore another developmental tackle worth keeping around.
The problem was finding a place for him.
With Stanley and Rosengarten established and Vinson pushing for the swing-tackle job, Baltimore apparently decided Pounds was unlikely to have a significant role on the active roster. Rather than expose him to waivers and receive nothing, the Ravens found a team willing to pay for him.
A conditional 2028 sixth-round pick may not look significant today, but draft capital has value. Baltimore has historically been willing to accumulate selections and use them either on prospects or as pieces in future trades.
Meanwhile, Pounds receives an opportunity with one of the NFL’s premier organizations.
Baltimore loses an intriguing young lineman, but considering Pounds arrived as an undrafted free agent only months ago, turning him into a potential sixth-round selection represents a solid piece of business as the Ravens finalize their 2026 roster.
