Chiefs wide receiver trade possibilities: Who is the best option for Kansas City?

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Week 5, in a Monday night home matchup against the New Orleans Saints, will be the first time this season that the Kansas City Chiefs will start a game this season without Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown, their top two receivers.

Coach Andy Reid shared earlier this week that Rice will miss Monday’s game because of the right knee injury he sustained in the team’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Immediately after quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ interception in the first quarter, Rice was chasing cornerback Kristian Fulton, who was returning the ball near the Chiefs’ sideline. Rice’s right leg was bent backward when he ran into Mahomes, who was using his right shoulder in an attempt to tackle Fulton. Within minutes, Rice was carted to the locker room, his hands and a towel covering his face. The Chiefs feared Sunday night that Rice tore his ACL, an injury that would end his season.

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Rice underwent several MRIs of his knee on Monday and Tuesday, according to a team source. Early next week, Rice is expected to see a specialist in Dallas to better determine the severity of his injury, according to a source.

“Rashee has done a great job so far,” Mahomes said Wednesday. “Hopefully we get him back soon. He did a great job of making plays happen whenever he’s one-on-one.

“It’s hard to replace that production with just one guy. He’s a special type of receiver, the way he’s able to run with the ball after the catch. You’ll see guys like (receivers) JuJu (Smith-Schuster) and Justin Watson and (tight end) Noah Gray come in and make plays. We’re going to have to give (rookie receiver Xavier) Worthy more chances across the field and underneath.”

Without even recording a statistic against the Chargers, Rice leads the Chiefs with 24 receptions for 288 yards and two touchdowns.

The Chiefs will likely need to add another veteran to the roster before 3 p.m. CT on Nov. 5, the NFL’s trade deadline. As of Wednesday, the Chiefs had close to $4.8 million in salary-cap space, according to Over the Cap. Two of the potential top options at the position, Davante Adams (Raiders) and Tyreek Hill (Dolphins) are too expensive for the Chiefs based on their contracts, not to mention a division rival like Las Vegas would be reluctant to help the Chiefs.

As part of a hypothetical exercise, beat writers at The Athletic covering teams that could be interested in trading a receiver to the Chiefs came up with potential trade offers. Here’s a look at the 10 proposals, alphabetically by team — plus a decision from the Chiefs.

go-deeper

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Offer: Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a 2025 late-round draft pick

Normally speaking, Buffalo would be open to any trade offers for Valdes-Scantling, who has yet to make a meaningful contribution (just two catches for 26 yards while playing 40 percent of the snaps). But a trade to Kansas City, where he scored three postseason touchdowns and earned two Super Bowl rings, likely would require a steep overpay. The Chiefs are 4-0, but their offense looks vulnerable for a change. The Bills want it to stay that way.

The Bills and Chiefs aren’t afraid to make a deal. Reid’s relationship with coach Sean McDermott helped facilitate the 2017 draft-day trade that allowed the Chiefs to move up to the 10th pick to select Mahomes. Last spring, Bills general manager Brandon Beane, despite clearly needing a receiver, traded with the Chiefs to move out of the first round and watched them land a tantalizing Mahomes target in speedy wideout Xavier Worthy with the 28th pick. — Tim Graham

Offer: Diontae Johnson for a 2025 third-round pick
Offer: Adam Thielen for a 2025 fourth-round pick

The Panthers’ offense has been markedly better since coach Dave Canales benched quarterback Bryce Young and made Andy Dalton the starter. But this is still a team very much in rebuilding mode. Unless Dalton leads the Panthers on a hot streak over the next month, general manager Dan Morgan could look to move at least one of the team’s two veteran receivers.

Johnson has had a pair of big receiving games since Dalton took over, including a career-high 122 yards against the Raiders in Week 3. But the Panthers did not offer Johnson an extension after acquiring him in a trade from Pittsburgh, making the 28-year-old a free agent in the offseason. Running back Miles Sanders referred to Johnson as “sweet feet” for his ability to separate from coverage. It’s not like Mahomes needs his receivers to be that open to begin with.

Thielen is six years older than Johnson and currently on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. The Panthers have not disclosed the recovery timeline for Thielen, who is coming off a 100-catch, 1,000-yard season during Young’s rookie campaign. Thielen isn’t the downfield threat he was in Minnesota, but he still has good hands and a knack for finding the soft spot in a defense. The Panthers would have to eat some dead money if they trade Thielen, who has another year left on his contract. — Joseph Person

go-deeper

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Offer: Amari Cooper for a 2025 third-round pick

Though he’s had an uncharacteristically rocky start to the season, Cooper has long been a reliable producer — and in his one good game in September, he caught two touchdown passes. Cooper, 30, is in his 10th season and might not be the dynamic downfield threat he once was, but he still runs precise routes and is hard to tackle after the catch.

Besides his talent, he’s in the final year of his contract, and a summer amendment to that contract by the Browns converted all but $1.2 million of his 2024 salary to a signing bonus. The Chiefs would only be on the hook for his remaining base salary, which is currently $941,000 and goes down each week. — Zac Jackson

Offer: Christian Kirk for a 2025 second-round pick

If the Jaguars slip further into the winless abyss and determine a teardown is necessary, Kirk should be an attractive option. He has plenty of speed, which aligns with the Chiefs’ vision, and turns 28 next month.

Kirk is under contract through 2025. The Chiefs would be on the hook for the remaining balance of his $15 million this season and $16.5 million next season. That’s a bargain for any team if Kirk produces to his ceiling, which is in the neighborhood of 80 receptions and 1,000 yards. He hasn’t always been that consistent, though the circumstances around him haven’t been the smoothest through seven seasons.

Related, why would the Jaguars want to make life even more difficult for Trevor Lawrence? Even if this season continues to go off the rails, the Jags at minimum must enter 2025 with Lawrence confident that this thing can turn around for the better. Trading Kirk would complicate that goal. — Jeff Howe

Offer: Tutu Atwell for a 2025 fifth-round pick

Yes, Atwell is currently the Rams’ top receiver with no Cooper Kupp (ankle) or Puka Nacua (knee). And no, coach Sean McVay never quite found a way to keep Atwell, his second-round pick in 2021 (and yes, I phrased that correctly) on the field in a legitimate role during his three-and-a-quarter NFL seasons so far. Kupp is close to returning, though the Rams will certainly use their Week 6 bye for more cushion, but Nacua is less close.

The Rams are 1-3 and if they sink any lower, they’ll have real conversations about moving assets — particularly those they won’t plan to pay after this season. Atwell has brilliant speed and body control and plays tougher than his small frame indicates. He has also served as the Rams’ speed-motion player and understands each receiving position even if he hasn’t gotten on the field in a full-time capacity. Pairing Atwell’s speed and versatility with Xavier Worthy would be a good match with Reid and Mahomes. — Jourdan Rodrigue

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Offer: Darius Slayton for a 2025 Day 3 draft pick

The Giants sent a receiver to the Chiefs at the trade deadline in 2022, so there’s precedent for a deal between the teams. Slayton is a far less volatile player than Kadarius Toney, who did help the Chiefs win Super Bowl LVII. Slayton raised the possibility of a trade during the offseason when he said he was unhappy with his contract.

Slayton, 27 is one of the league’s most underrated receivers. He has been consistent, recording 46-50 catches and 724-770 yards in four of his first five seasons. That production has come with Daniel Jones, Tyrod Taylor, Tommy DeVito, Mike Glennon, Jake Fromm and Colt McCoy at quarterback. Slayton has averaged 15.0 yards per catch, which is 11th highest since he entered the league in 2019. He has flaws — drops have been an issue — but he’s a legitimate deep threat who has improved as an intermediate target.

Slayton is a classic rental option, as he is in the final year of his contract and doesn’t have a hefty salary. If he gets traded, the acquiring team will owe him only $1.6 million. — Dan Duggan

Offer: George Pickens for 2025 first- and third-round picks

I know what you’re thinking. The Steelers should be trying to add a legit No. 2 receiver to their roster. But let’s think creatively about this for a second.

Pickens is in the third year of his four-year rookie deal. Historically, the Steelers like to extend homegrown players ahead of the final year of their contract. For a receiver like Pickens, who has tremendous upside but also plenty of mercurial qualities, this could turn into a complicated negotiation in a market where receiver contracts are skyrocketing and players are increasingly taking control of their careers by holding out or demanding trades.

If I’m Steelers GM Omar Khan, I do my due diligence and just make a phone call to see how far the Chiefs are willing to go. Even if the Chiefs agree, Khan would probably have to flip one of those picks for another receiver, possibly Adams, Cooper, Kirk or DeAndre Hopkins. — Mike DeFabo

Offer: Ronnie Bell for a 2025 seventh-round pick

Bell could use a change of scenery. He had several drops — including a devastating one at the end of the game — in a Week 3 loss against the Los Angeles Rams. He has landed in coach Kyle Shanahan’s doghouse.

Still, there was a reason he was getting a lot of early-season snaps. Bell is a smart, tough player who picked up all three of the 49ers’ receiver positions quickly. Bell’s a strong downfield blocker, gets decent yards after the catch and also has experience returning punts. He’ll likely have a hard time seeing the field again in San Francisco once first-round draft pick Ricky Pearsall is ready for action. — Matt Barrows

go-deeper

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Offer: DeAndre Hopkins for a 2025 third-round pick

Hey, Chiefs, remember that third-round pick you got from the Titans (along with a swap of sevenths) in exchange for cornerback L’Jarius Sneed? Yeah, send that back and you get Hopkins for the rest of the season. That may sound a bit pricey for a 32-year-old receiver who has had various injuries and is coming off another knee. But Hopkins could be exactly what the Chiefs need to win a third straight title.

He’s healthy again and full speed from the knee sprain that cost him most of camp and slowed him down a bit early in the season. He’s still a great player, as evidenced by last season’s production — 75 catches for 1,057 yards (14.1 per catch) and seven touchdowns — despite playing in an offense with no other downfield weapons, with an aging starter at quarterback replaced by a rookie, and with the worst pass-protecting offensive line in the NFL.

Hopkins is a viciously precise route runner. His enormous catch radius and knack for outmuscling foes for 50/50 balls remain elite. Mahomes would love him. It would be like having another Travis Kelce, but at receiver. All for the low cost of $4.13 million. — Joe Rexrode

The decision

The best part about this exercise is that the Chiefs should have several above-average options.

Although Pickens is a talented player, it’s difficult to envision the Chiefs acquiring him, especially since they just went through the Toney experience. While he could elevate the offense for the rest of the season, the potential contract negotiations headache might not be worth it.

The Chiefs should be a choosy buyer ahead of this deadline. They are pursuing an unprecedented third Super Bowl victory — and they need to acquire the most talented receiver they can to have as potent of an offense as possible ahead of the postseason.

The first intriguing option is Slayton, who could be a competent contributor for the Chiefs. The same could be projected for Atwell. But Atwell’s skills, to me, are too similar to those of Worthy and Mecole Hardman.

Cooper for a 2025 third-round pick is one the Chiefs should consider. Among players with no experience with the Chiefs playbook and terminology, Cooper and Hopkins might be best equipped to make a smooth transition in November. But I believe Cooper has more production upside than Hopkins.

Based on the deals presented, the best option for the Chiefs — this season and potentially beyond — is Diontae Johnson, who is in the prime of his career, has above-average speed and can create separation on intermediate and deep routes. If the Chiefs were to acquire Johnson for a third-round pick, he would help their push for another Super Bowl victory, and Reid and general manager Brett Veach could try to sign him to a multiyear extension.

(Photos of Diontae Johnson and Amari Cooper: Ian Maule and Richard Rodriguez / Getty Images)



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