Chiefs’ Secret Weapon Against the Bills? 4 Receivers They Should Trade For

There’s never a dull moment in the NFL. Even on days with no scheduled football games, the league finds a way to captivate us. Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, was one of those days, thanks to two blockbuster trades involving disgruntled veteran star wide receivers.

First, six-time Pro Bowl wideout Davante Adams got sent from the Las Vegas Raiders to the New York Jets. Only hours after, their AFC East rival Buffalo Bills struck a deal, landing stud pass-catcher Amari Cooper from the Cleveland Browns.

The Jets acquired Adams to salvage their 2024 campaign following a 2-4 start. Meanwhile, the Bills added Cooper to a title-contending roster with a receiving room that badly needed an unquestioned alpha. Suddenly, pundits are debating whether Buffalo is the team to beat in the AFC. However, the Kansas City Chiefs would beg to differ.

Sitting at 5-0, the Chiefs have been unbeatable despite not playing to their lofty standards thus far. Like the Bills, the two-time defending Super Bowl champs have a glaring need at receiver. Nonetheless, they’ve stood pat and taken an in-house approach to addressing their woes. But it may be time to get in on the action after seeing a pair of marquee names come off the board.

In response to Cooper getting re-routed to a direct competitor, the Chiefs should explore making a move for any of the following four players.

4 WRs the Kansas City Chiefs need to trade for to combat Bills with Amari Cooper

4. Darius Slayton, New York Giants

Sitting at 2-4, the New York Giants are headed for a second consecutive lost season under head coach Brian Daboll. Not to mention, they just lost franchise left tackle Andrew Thomas to season-ending Lisfranc surgery. So, it wouldn’t be shocking to see them become sellers ahead of this year’s trade deadline, making Darius Slayton expendable.

Slayton has never topped 770 receiving yards throughout his six years as a pro. Be that as it may, his environment/skill set fit concerns in New York could be holding him back. He’s a deep threat on a Daniel Jones-led offense, which understandably hasn’t translated to box score production.

A change of scenery from the Big Apple to Kansas City could do wonders for Slayton. Pairing his big-play, field-stretching ability and career 14.9 yards per reception with Chiefs gunslinger Patrick Mahomes would be ideal.

The great thing about Slayton compared to others on this list is he may come at a substantially lower cost. His lack of pedigree, being on an expiring contract and representing a rebuilding squad will make him more attainable.

3. Mike Williams, New York Jets

In light of Adams officially becoming a Jet, Mike Williams is the odd one out of Gang Green’s surprisingly packed receiving bunch.

The Jets signed Williams to a one-year contract “worth up to” $15 million this offseason. Yet, he’s now fourth on the team’s positional depth chart, behind Adams, Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard. Given the abundance of mouths to feed, New York is open to offloading the ex-Los Angeles Charger.

Williams may be more talented than Lazard, but the latter’s connection with quarterback Aaron Rodgers is well-documented. Regardless, the former has two 1,000-yard receiving campaigns on his résumé and could surely help the Chiefs.

At 6-4, 218 pounds, Williams offers tantalizing size, strength and athleticism. Given Mahomes’ incredible arm talent, he’d be a solid target for the signal-caller.

Injuries have plagued Williams throughout his NFL journey. But when healthy, few are better in jump ball/contested catch situations.

2. Diontae Johnson, Carolina Panthers

Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Carolina Panthers don’t seem “eager” to part ways with Diontae Johnson — yet. Of course, that’s subject to change if the team continues losing or a franchise like the Chiefs swoop in with a nice offer.

Johnson has fared well in his debut season with the Panthers, catching 29 passes for 340 yards and three touchdowns. An elite separator and target earner, he can theoretically step in and assume some of the short-to-intermediate routes previously run by Rashee Rice.

Similar to Slayton and Williams, Johnson is an expiring contract. Alternatively, unlike the two mentioned before him, the Panthers wideout can factor into Kansas City’s long-term plans.

While Slayton and Williams are presumably rental options for the Chiefs, Johnson’s combination of age (28) and talent is noteworthy. Along with Rice and rookie speedster Xavier Worthy, the one-time Pro Bowler could round out Kansas City’s receiving trio for the foreseeable future.

1. DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee Titans

Currently on a 1-4 Tennessee Titans team with minimal hopes of righting the ship, DeAndre Hopkins is an ideal trade candidate for the Chiefs.

Recent reporting from Fowler indicates that Hopkins is content in Tennessee, plus the Titans aren’t going out of their way to explore trades involving him. Alas, a chance to be the missing piece to Kansas City’s historic three-peat may be enough of a sales pitch to change the 32-year-old’s mind.

Hopkins may not be the perennial All-Pro he once was, but he’s still a highly skilled pass-catcher. In Tennessee, erratic quarterback play has derailed him, though nothing suggests that will improve anytime soon.

As one of the most dominant receivers of his generation, Hopkins would surely benefit from a change of scenery, particularly if it’s Kansas City. His stature would enable him to instantly become the Chiefs’ top weapon in their aerial attack.

While Cooper got arguably the biggest quarterback upgrade possible by getting dealt to Buffalo from Cleveland, Hopkins wouldn’t be far behind in this scenario.