ESPN Insider says the Chiefs would love to add a talented wide receiver at the NFL's trade deadline
The Kansas City Chiefs could be in the market to make some additions to their roster ahead of the 2024 NFL trade deadline. This year's trade deadline is still quite a ways away on Tuesday, Nov. 5. However, with only nine undefeated teams remaining in the NFL, it'll soon become abundantly clear which teams are slated […]
The Kansas City Chiefs could be in the market to make some additions to their roster ahead of the 2024 NFL trade deadline.
This year's trade deadline is still quite a ways away on Tuesday, Nov. 5. However, with only nine undefeated teams remaining in the NFL, it'll soon become abundantly clear which teams are slated to be buyers and which will be sellers at the deadline.
ESPN's Dan Graziano recently looked at some early top trade candidates to move and potential team fits for those players. While Graziano names the Chiefs as potential fits for four players on his list, one comment definitely caught my attention.
Speaking on Carolina Panthers WR Diontae Johnson, Graziano listed the New England Patriots as the top team, but said the Chiefs were among all of the teams who, "would also love to add a talented WR."
With Hollywood Brown expected to miss the majority, if not all of the 2024 NFL season, it's not exactly a surprise that Kansas City would poke around the receiver market. What's interesting is that they could be doubling back to a player they were interested in acquiring back in March.
If you'll recall, the Chiefs inquired about making a trade with the Steelers to acquire Johnson, but Pittsburgh squashed the deal to send him to the Panthers out of fear of trading with an AFC contender.
“They made it clear to the rest of the league that Diontae Johnson was going to be available," NFL Network's Mike Garafolo said in March. "He had permission, his agent did, Brad Cicala, to go and seek a trade. They talked to a few teams. The Kansas City Chiefs, they had conversations with them at some point, but it didn’t seem like they’d trade him within the AFC to a contender, if possible. So, (they're) sending him to the NFC to the Carolina Panthers, who have been looking to add receivers since last year.”
With Carolina looking like the worst team in the NFL again, they could aim to shed Johnson's $3.5 million salary and get some draft capital in return. It might turn out that the Chiefs get the player they wanted all along without having to do business with Pittsburgh. Johnson cost the Panthers a sixth-round pick and CB Donte' Jackson, so it's reasonable to expect a late-round pick would get the job done in this instance.
Johnson has five catches for 34 yards amidst the Panthers' quarterback struggles in the first two weeks of the 2024 NFL season.
Other positions and players the Chiefs could trade for
With an extended absence expected for RB Isiah Pacheco, it's no surprise that Graziano also listed the Chiefs as candidates for Carolina Panthers RB Miles Sanders and New York Giants RB Devin Singletary. I would genuinely be surprised to see Kansas City make a trade for a running back. I don't see the Chiefs as a team that values the position in a way that making a trade at this juncture is necessary. They'll get by just fine with a committee approach featuring Carson Steele, Samaje Perine, and Kareem Hunt.
On the defensive side of the ball, Graziano lists the Chiefs as potential candidates to acquire New England Patriots CB Jonathan Jones. Unless there are dramatic levels of drop-off over the next several weeks, I don't see that one. Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson have emerged as a solid CB1/CB2 combination for Kansas City in a post-L'Jarius Sneed secondary. Add in contributions from Josh Williams, Nazeeh Johnson, and Chamarri Conner and this group is in a good place.
One position that Graziano didn't mention for Kansas City is edge rusher. That's quietly a position to watch for the Chiefs as we get deeper into the season and the team further understands the timeline for Charles Omenihu's return to action. Cameron Thomas, who was acquired in a trade from the Arizona Cardinals during 53-man roster cuts, has yet to see any action this season.
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