It’s deadline season, which means we’re back to wide receiver talk. There will come a time when that’s no longer the case for the Kansas City Chiefs. Today is not that day.
Tyquan Thornton is (more or less) out for the year. Rashee Rice is expected back this week from his hamstring injury. Cyrus Allen is playing sparingly. Xavier Worthy has once again been up and down in his performance. The Chiefs’ top wide receiver finished last week with 18 receiving yards.
It’s a problem. It needs a solution. The
next two weeks should help clarify the direction.
I understand why fans are requesting (demanding?) a significant trade. It would be nice to see the team kill this fly with a sledgehammer, metaphorically speaking. I would love nothing more than to watch Patrick Mahomes throw the football to Garrett Wilson, Nico Collins or Devonta Smith. I suppose I could be wrong, but I think the odds of any of those trades coming together are roughly equal to the odds of me suiting up at wide receiver for the Chiefs by the end of the year. In other words, it probably won’t happen.
The far more likely scenario is the Chiefs trade for a wide receiver a tier (or three) lower in the pecking order. The names won’t jump off the page. But they might be exactly what the doctor ordered to improve the passing game for the rest of the year.
The next couple of weeks could be significant in that regard. Rice was finally beginning to look like his former self when he got hurt. Can he recapture that form when he returns? That would be an encouraging sign. He brings an important element to the offense, especially as a zone beater across the middle.
I would like to see the Chiefs give Allen a longer look this week, as well. Maybe that’s asking too much, but he has three receptions on four targets for 45 yards in 25 total offensive snaps over the past two weeks. He’s shown he can beat man coverage. It would be nice to see what he can produce in a larger role. Maybe that’s just not in the cards for this season, but if the Chiefs think there’s untapped potential, now is the time to find out. And he’s not replacing world beaters in the lineup. Jalen Royals and Andrew Armstrong have combined for 4 catches for 40 yards on 154 snaps, with 10 targets over the past two weeks.
That’s the extent of the internal options. The truth is the Chiefs are severely lacking an outside wide receiver with size and the ability to separate against man coverage. Those are the skills Thornton brought to the table. An ability to win deep would certainly be a plus. We saw the effect of not having a serious threat on the field last week as the Seahawks completely shut down the Chiefs’ passing attack.
So where could the Chiefs realistically turn their attention if a trade becomes necessary? Here are some names to keep top of mind.
Colts WR Josh Downs
2026 Stats: 26 receptions, 41 targets, 307 yards (11.8 YPR), 0 TD
Contract Status: 1 yr, $3.9M
At this point, you’ve heard the name, and you’re probably familiar with his game. He’s small and he’s traditionally been a slot receiver for the Colts (69% slot rate this year, 79% for his career), but he’s quite good at separating against man coverage and he’s been utilized as a downfield threat in Alec Pierce’s absence (6 targets 20+ yards downfield this year).
Eagles WR Dontayvion Wicks
2026 Stats: 19 receptions, 31 targets, 284 yards (14.9 YPR), 1 TD
Contract Status: Technically? 2 yrs, $10.25M. But it’s the Eagles, so there are void years, and it’s a bit convoluted. But for the Chiefs, it appears it would be 2 yrs, $4.4M.
I think this is the player we probably haven’t spent enough time discussing. The Eagles are in freefall, and it’s probably more than a one-year fix. Wicks is an imperfect player, but he fits exactly what the Chiefs are missing. He lines up outside roughly 70 percent of the time this year, and more than 60 percent of the time in his career. He’s been a significant deep threat for the majority of his career (9 deep targets this year, and 32 deep targets over the past three years combined). He does his best work against man coverage, as well. He’s not a big name, and he’s not a high-volume target, but he could capably fill some of what the Chiefs are missing in Thornton’s absence. He should also come at a reasonable price.
Texans WR Kayshon Boutte
2026 Stats: 15 receptions, 23 targets, 194 yards (12.9 YPR), 0 TD
Contract Status: 1 yr, $3.7M
Boutte was already traded earlier this year from the Patriots to the Texans, and he’s seen his snap share drop significantly in recent weeks. I don’t think the Texans are willing to give up on their season just yet, but that time might be coming. Boutte is another deep threat who lines up outside the vast majority of the time (73% this year, 86% for his career). He’s also a deep threat with seven targets more than 20 yards down the field this year. His average depth of target is more than 14 yards downfield. If you want an outside wide receiver with recent playoff success who is likely to be available for a cheap cost, this might be your man.
Chargers WR Quentin Johnston
2026 Stats: 8 receptions, 21 targets, 165 yards (20.6 YPR), 0 TD
Contract Status: 2 yrs, $20.5M ($1.3M prorated ‘26, $18M fully guaranteed ‘27)
Hear me out. I don’t think it’s overly likely, and the money is a problem. But I’m not sure Johnston is as much of a lost cause as it might seem on the surface. He had 16 total touchdowns over the past two years, and he’s shown an ability to stretch the field. That’s a huge element to bring to the table. He also lines up outside the vast majority of the time (83% outside rate this year, 87% for his career). He’s been in a disastrous situation this year with the Chargers. Maybe the Chiefs believe he could be a transition piece in the offense for the next 1.5 years? I’m open to it. He’s probably the most talented player on this list, even if he’s also arguably the most frustrating and inconsistent.
Commanders WR Treylon Burks
2026 Stats: 9 receptions, 152 yards (16.9 YPR), 2 TD
Contract Status: 1 yr, $1.2M
Once upon a time, I was convinced the Chiefs would draft Treylon Burks. That obviously didn’t happen, but he’s developed into a decent deep target for the Commanders this year. He’s lining up almost exclusively outside (69% outside rate this year, 74% for his career), and he could be had for a relatively low price. It’s not sexy. But it could work.
Colts WR Laquon Treadwell
2026 Stats: 15 receptions, 26 targets, 197 yards (13.1 YPR), 0 TD
Contract Status: 1 yr, $1.3M
Another former first-round bust. Maybe I’m only mentioning him because I thought he played pretty well against the Chiefs, but he’s an outside receiver with the ability to take the top off the defense occasionally. It’s not my first (or second, or third…) choice, but if stuff hits the fan, fine.
Commanders WR Dyami Brown
2026 Stats: 9 receptions, 16 targets, 94 yards (10.5 YPR), 0 TD
Contract Status: 1 yr, $1.2M
I feel like I’ve been waiting for a Dyami Brown breakout for the past five years. It’s never really happened. I don’t think it’s coming. But he’s similar to Burks and Treadwell in that he’s an outside receiver with legit downfield chops. That’s all I’ve got.
I know, it’s not an inspiring list. But Tyquan Thornton wasn’t a headline addition when he arrived in Kansas City, either. I think this is a far more realistic list of trade deadline targets for the Chiefs than some of what’s been speculated about in internet circles.
I would love to see the Chiefs add Downs to the mix, but I personally believe Wicks and Boutte are probably the best fits for what this offense currently lacks.
