Injuries have plagued the Kansas City Chiefs 2024 season and with key players out it may cause the team to fall short come playoff time. The NFL trade deadline is rapidly approaching, November 5th at 3 p.m. CT marking the end of the deadline. Since the news of Hollywood Brown and Rashee Rice both being out with expected season-ending injuries, it has led people to believe that the Chiefs will target a wide receiver before time is up. There are many potential matches at the position and this teams desire to win three Super Bowls in a row it makes me believe the Chiefs will be taking their chance at a WR.
In the Week 7 win in San Francisco the Chiefs threw the ball for 154 yards while Patrick Mahomes also had the lowest passer rating of his career with a rating of 44.4 percent. This happened for many factors from the 49ers stout defense, the unfortunate interceptions and also the lack of depth and talent at the WR position right now. The Chiefs for the 2025 draft have an extra third round and seventh round pick to work with from trading L’Jarius Sneed to the Titans in the off-season. Using these extra picks, they should look to utilize them to trade for a receiver. Top options Davante Adams and Amari Cooper have both already been traded, which puts the Chiefs in a predicament on who they should target. Mike Williams, Diontae Johnson and Darius Slayton are among the top rumors for potential trade targets.
Williams would be a terrific deep ball threat to pair up next to Mahomes, but he is still battling injury this season after coming back from a torn ACL last year. Then the fact that the Jets acquired Adams in this trade deadline, makes me believe they will look to deal one of their WRs. Williams is on the last year of his contract and has only been targeted 19 times with 11 receptions for 160 yards. As long as he’s healthy his talent would make him a weapon for Kansas City.
Johnson who is currently stuck on the 1-6 Carolina Panthers would also be another great fit for the team to trade for. He faced drop problems early in his career having a nine percent drop rate, but has fixed the issue and since 2021 has the 10th lowest drop rate for all receivers. Johnson has openly admitted to being frustrated about his current situation on the Panthers and their season. Added on only three targets for him in Week 7 and on his last year under contract he is highly likely to be a trade candidate.
Slayton is another versatile WR who can help take some pressure off in the passing game with his ability to catch deep passes and make plays. Also, only having one more year under contract, Slayton having played all his years for the New York Giants has never had a breakout season. His best being his rookie year having 740 yards and 8 TDs. He does average 745 yards per season, which is some consistency that the Chiefs need, but I’m not certain if he would put them over the top come playoff time.
There is also the other potential option that the Chiefs sign a free agent WR instead of trading. Having Michael Thomas, Hunter Renfrow and Marquez Valdes-Scantling all be available, it may lead to no trade at all. Thomas has dealt with countless injuries after being one of the leagues best in years past and Renfrow declined after a solid beginning career on the Raiders. Valdez-Scantling was recently released by the Buffalo Bills and immediately became a top possibility for the Chiefs to resign him after being with the team for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Bringing him back would recreate almost the same exact receiving room that the Chiefs had in their 2022 season, which they beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl. The Chiefs signing either one of these players would give them the depth at the position so they can compete.
The Chiefs are currently 6-0 heading to play the Raiders and seem to be a powerhouse of the league. If they don’t sign any receivers at the deadline there is still a high chance they finish first in the AFC, however when playoffs come around is when I believe they’ll find struggle not having a receiver. Having to play teams like Baltimore, Buffalo, Houston, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh with their lack of receiver depth could be the deciding factor on how far this team goes.