It's Time For Chiefs to Make a Splash Trade at Wide Receiver

Let's be frank to start this: the Kansas City Chiefs are not a good football team at this time.

There seems to be more pressure on Patrick Mahomes to make things happen; the passing offense is too inconsistent, with Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy missing time for their respective issues; the run game is the same and not suited for the current shotgun approach. Thankfully, Steve Spagnuolo is a great defensive coordinator with a quality defense.

Otherwise, the Chiefs are stuck heading into a significant Week 4 bout with Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. There is no easy solution, and maybe what is needed is Worthy and Rice healthy and on the field for them to get going. However, it is time to consider making a significant splash move for another playmaker.

Kansas City needs their Tyreek Hill-type of playmaker

Veach Chief — Aug 9, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Back in February, I argued that if the Chiefs want to make another major push for a fourth consecutive Super Bowl, making a trade for a high-end pass-catcher would be the key. Could there be an avenue to bringing Tyreek Hill back into the fold if the Miami Dolphins continue their fall from grace? Absolutely.

Kansas City, specifically general manager Brett Veach & Co., cannot bank on this possibility and must look for options. They may have to pull off a trade out of the blue- something out of left field that no one was ever expecting, even with their current situation at the skill positions; a Luka Doncic-like trade, but the NFL's version.

Having an elite playmaker comes at a premium in the NFL, and the Chiefs know this very well after moving on from Hill just a few years ago. There is more talent at wide receiver across the league than there ever was 10 or 15 years ago; the market has blasted off to Mars, and there is no shortage of talent out there.

Don't get me wrong: I view Rice and Worthy as critical pieces of Kansas City's offense. Their skill sets are missing from this offense. Maybe things do get better when they return as a whole and we see Mahomes take off in quality production and an offense that could skyrocket into the top-five in EPA per pass (they are currently 16th at -0.02, according to NFL Pro).

Worthy chief — NFL Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

What would keep pressure off of Mahomes and future Hall of Fame tight end Travis Kelce in his swang-song season is another top-tier wide receiver. Maybe Nico Collins grows beyond frustrated privately in Houston and is quietly seeking a trade; Garrett Wilson has had enough of the soon-to-be 15 seasons of missing the postseason in the Meadowlands; the Bears may look for a trade partner for the talented D.J. Moore.

As I said a couple of weeks ago, the Chiefs shouldn't be considered Super Bowl contenders anytime soon, even if they have the talent. There's too much miscubobulation on this team, and the rest of the AFC got better, as did the Los Angeles Chargers with early-season MVP candidate Justin Herbert.

However, if the Chiefs, even in their lowly start to the season, believe they can still reach the promised land once more, trading for a high-end talent or playmaker would be the way to go.

Mahomes Chief — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and his teammates are shown during the first half, Sunday, September 21, 2025. | Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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