In August, Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach saw the path laid out for wideout Tyquan Thornton.
As the franchise was in the middle of sorting out the wide receiver spot in training camp, I asked Veach what the results were showing. At the time, the top of the depth chart was a mystery. Rashee Rice had yet to take command of the dominant No. 1 “go-to” role for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Xavier Worthy was still struggling to build upon an encouraging rookie season in 2024. And the third option? It felt like it was an open competition. Aside from the reality that Veach saw a player emerging who might steal the entire show in 2026.
Tyquan Thornton.
“Tyquan has had a great camp,” Veach told NFL Blue Book in August. “We’re getting him to the point that he’s showing he can be a big part of the offense after last year, spending half the [2024] season on the practice squad, to re-signing him [in March]. He’s almost the veteran leader out there. He’s gone from practice squad guy to fifth receiver, to earning third receiver reps, to now being the team leader out there. It’s been a crazy evolution for him.”
It had shown over the last three weeks of the season, with Thornton catching 11 passes for 219 yards and two touchdowns, with his crowning game appearing to take shape on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders. The 26-year-old Thornton was piecing together a career game, catching five passes for 111 yards and a pair of touchdowns — looking as if he had emerged as the Chiefs’ No. 1 wideout in the wake of a hamstring injury to Rice — when disaster struck. In the fourth quarter of an eventual 30-27 win, Thornton sustained a gruesome left ankle dislocation on a vital 55-yard completion. On Monday, it was determined the injury is expected to sideline him for at least the next three to four months of the season.
And just like that, the Chiefs’ wide receiver position went from taking shape to dissolving at the top of the depth chart.
Between Thornton’s potentially season-ending injury and Rice’s hamstring issue — which could linger — Kansas City now finds itself searching for replacements. And a familiar face emerged quickly: former Chiefs wideout Tyreek Hill, a free agent who has been rehabilitating a significant left knee injury since Week 4 of the 2025 season.
That possibility of a reunion moved beyond speculation Monday, when Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed he planned to begin negotiating with multiple teams, notably including Kansas City. The 32-year-old Hill has been available since Miami released him in February, but signing a contract and returning to the field are separate checkpoints. Hill is targeting November for his return as he continues recovering from a dislocated left knee and multiple torn ligaments, meaning even a quick agreement would leave the Chiefs with an immediate hole to fill.
The appeal of a reunion is obvious. Hill spent his first six NFL seasons in Kansas City, and his familiarity with Mahomes and Andy Reid’s offense could ease the transition once he is healthy. The uncertainty is what version of Hill they would be getting. His history makes him an intriguing potential addition for the stretch run, but until he demonstrates how much of his explosiveness has survived the injury, Kansas City would be betting on his recovery as much as its shared past.
With that uncertainty in mind — and the deficit at wideout with the loss of Thornton and a limping Rice — here’s a look at five other wideouts who could step into the void before the trade deadline. Their value and availability are fluctuating from week to week, but all could provide upside for the Chiefs for at least the remainder of 2026. And in the case of a few of them, into 2027 as well…
Marvin Harrison Jr., Arizona Cardinals
Through four games, Harrison Jr. still hasn’t established a consistent role in Mike LaFleur’s offense. He scored a touchdown on Sunday, but his inclusion in the scheme is still largely an afterthought or a decoy. Tight end Trey McBride, wideout Michael Wilson and running back Jeremiyah Love have relegated Harrison Jr. to the fourth option. He needs a fresh start elsewhere and could be had for a late second-round pick, or a third-round pick with the ability to graduate to a second-round pick based on performance markers over the remainder of this season.
He has a rookie contract that runs through 2027 with $5.62 million in salary and a roster bonus scheduled for next season. That matters with the Chiefs’ cap pinch. The fifth-year option is a more pricey projected $18.95 million. His size, age and early-career production suggest he’s still a useful player in the right scheme. Within the Chiefs, he’d give Patrick Mahomes a larger target with red-zone ability. There’s still some long-term upside here if the staff believes in Harrison Jr., but several front offices that spoke with NFL Blue Book view him as a rental through the 2027 season.
Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
Following a breakout rookie season, Thomas Jr. has done little more than lose opportunities to Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers in head coach Liam Coen’s offense. Like Harrison Jr., he’s locked in through 2027, with a fifth-year option in 2028 that is projected at $17.2 million. His rookie totals of 1,282 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns are starting to become a distant memory. But Thomas Jr.’s size/speed combination still makes him an intriguing addition. He would represent an explosive outside receiver option for the Chiefs, which would fill the Thornton role.
The problem here? After speaking to sources in Jacksonville, I think he’s more highly valued internally than public perception suggests. His target share is low, but he scored a crucial touchdown in a win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. With Travis Hunter playing 100 percent of his snaps on defense in that game, Thomas Jr. provides some wideout role depth that is valued significantly inside the team. Even if it means Thomas Jr. only occasionally shows up with a big play in the box score. While I don’t think the Jaguars will pick up his fifth-year option, I do believe the Jacksonville front office still values Thomas Jr. and his youth enough to keep him on the roster through 2027. That puts his price tag — like Harrison Jr.’s — in the late second-round range…or a third-round and fifth-round pick.
Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns
Jeudy is a secondary piece in Browns head coach Todd Monken’s offense. Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. and rookie wideouts Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion have dominated the top three pass-catching roles. Meanwhile, Jeudy caught three passes in Thursday’s win over Pittsburgh, but he has just five receptions for 62 yards and no touchdowns this season. That looks like a dim ceiling, but his 90 catches and 1,229 receiving yards in 2024 suggest there’s more available than Cleveland is currently getting out of him. For the Chiefs, the appeal would be adding an experienced route runner who could give Mahomes another option on intermediate throws. It’s worth mentioning that Jeudy is still just 27 years old. He should still have productive years ahead.
His immediate financial fit is manageable, too. His 2026 base salary is only $1.5 million, with an acquiring team responsible for the remaining portion. Next season is a bit more complicated. He’s under contract through 2027, but is scheduled to earn $17 million in non-guaranteed money. That’s a sizable decision for a Chiefs franchise already dealing with a cap squeeze. I’d view Jeudy as a rental for the remainder of this season, with the possibility of keeping him if the production justifies a reworked contract. The complication? Cleveland is 3-1, and Jeudy’s diminished role doesn’t necessarily mean the Browns will surrender veteran depth while they’re winning. Maybe that outlook changes by early November. But right now, a winning team isn’t in a hurry to deal anything. I’d put Jeudy’s trade value in the fourth-round range, or potentially a fifth-round pick that graduates to a fourth with performance markers. At that price, there’s enough proven production for the Chiefs to make the call and monitor the situation leading up to the trade deadline.
Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans
Ridley has largely dropped off the map in the scheme of Titans offensive coordinator Brian Daboll. He has three catches for 48 yards this season, including just one catch for 13 yards in Sunday’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Tennessee’s additions of Wan’Dale Robinson and rookie Carnell Tate have dramatically reduced Ridley’s role in the offense. Despite that reality, the appeal to the Chiefs would be adding an experienced outside receiver who could give Mahomes another option on intermediate routes and downfield throws. It wasn’t that long ago that Ridley caught 64 passes for 1,017 yards and four touchdowns in 2024. So there’s some recent production to support a bet.
His immediate financial fit is more manageable following an offseason pay cut. He’s now carrying a 2026 base salary of $5.49 million, with an acquiring team responsible for the remaining portion and applicable per-game roster bonuses. Next season is considerably more expensive, with a $19.74 million base salary and another $2.51 million in potential roster bonuses. But none of that is guaranteed. I’d view him as a rental for the remainder of this season, with any longer stay dependent on his production and a reworked deal. Tennessee’s 0-4 start could make moving a veteran for draft capital increasingly appealing, although keeping experienced help around Cam Ward remains a reason for the Titans to hold him. I’d put Ridley’s value in the sixth-round range, potentially graduating to a fifth with playing-time or postseason markers. Tennessee absorbing some remaining salary could justify a better pick, too.
Marquise Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
Through four games, injuries have prevented Marquise “Hollywood” Brown from establishing any receiving role in Philadelphia. Playing in only one game thus far, he has no catches, with DeVonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks and Makai Lemon accounting for most of the wideout production. He wasn’t particularly noticeable in training camp. Now an ankle injury has sidelined him for the last two games, including Sunday’s loss to the Rams. That makes his availability part of the evaluation, too. For the Chiefs, the appeal would be familiarity. Brown caught 49 passes for 587 yards and five touchdowns with Kansas City last season. He already knows the offense and has experience working with Patrick Mahomes, which should shorten the adjustment period for a midseason return. His speed could help fill the Thornton role and give the Chiefs another option on downfield throws.
The financial fit is manageable, too. Brown’s one-year deal includes a $1.3 million base salary for 2026, with an acquiring team responsible for the remaining portion. His contract voids in February, making this a rental for the remainder of the season unless the sides negotiate another deal. That matters with Kansas City’s cap. The complication is Philadelphia’s own need for depth. Smith and Dallas Goedert also missed Sunday’s game, which could make the Eagles reluctant to move an experienced receiver once Brown is healthy. I’d put his trade value in the sixth-round range, or potentially a seventh-round pick that graduates to a sixth with playing-time markers. By November’s deadline, healthy returns could make this a doable deal for the Chiefs and Eagles.
I don't love any of those options.