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The Kansas City Chiefs acquired cornerback Mike Hughes in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday. The Chiefs traded a 2022 sixth-round pick to Minnesota while the Vikings sent a 2022 seventh-round pick to Kansas City in the deal. Hughes was drafted by the Vikings in the first round (30th overall) of the 2018 NFL draft. The Vikings declined to exercise the fifth-year option in Hughes' rookie contract, meaning he will be a free agent after this season. Hughes will be given the chance to compete for playing time with the Chiefs immediately. One starter from last season, Bashaud Breeland, is a free agent and remains unsigned. Hughes will join a group of cornerbacks that includes Charvarius Ward, a starter the past two seasons, and L'Jarius Sneed, a fourth-round draft pick last year who played well as the third cornerback. The Chiefs last year acquired another former No. 1 draft pick, DeAndre Baker, after he was released by the New York Giants. Baker broke his left leg in the final regular-season game last season. Hughes was limited to just four games last season because of a neck injury that resulted in him being placed on injured reserve in October. Multiple injuries, including a torn ACL his rookie season and neck injury that ended Hughes' season on injured reserve in 2020, limited the cornerback to 24 games with seven starts over the first three years of his career. Hughes recorded 80 tackles, had 13 passes defended and two interceptions -- returning one for a touchdown -- in his three seasons with Minnesota, predominantly playing in the slot in the Vikings' nickel defense. With 2020 first-round pick Jeff Gladney in the legal process after an alleged domestic assault in April, it is possible the Vikings will turn to newly re-signed cornerback Mackensie Alexander, who spent the first four seasons (2016-19) of his career in Minnesota, to play the nickel corner position. ESPN's Adam Teicher and Courtney Cronin contributed to this report.
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