Now is the perfect time for the Kansas City Chiefs to full-court press one of the NFL trade deadline’s most attractive targets
It’s time for the Kansas City Chiefs to full-court press one of the 2026 NFL Trade Deadline targets.
Remember all that buzz about Tyreek Hill and a reunion with the Kansas City Chiefs a few weeks back? So much for that. At this stage, it’s probably wise to expect that even if Hill were to sign, he isn’t going to solve the issues the Chiefs are battling at wide receiver.
With the NFL trade deadline arriving next week, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs is calling. It’s time to go get him.
Josh Downs checks the right boxes for the Kansas City Chiefs — tt’s time to send the best offer
Downs has requested a trade from the Colts. The franchise, in the midst of a fire sale, feels likely to find him one. And if you ask me, Downs would look a lot better in an offense with a functional quarterback throwing him the football.
That’s the appeal for Kansas City. The Chiefs have shown they can run the football, just the offense Downs has played in with the Colts. But Patrick Mahomes is not Daniel Jones. The beauty of a move like this is that it doesn’t have to be a short-term patch. Downs isn’t a veteran on his last legs looking for one more ride. He’s a fourth-year player who could sign on and become a long-term piece of the puzzle in the Chiefs’ wide receiver room.
That matters more than it might seem at first glance. Lest we forget, Travis Kelce is in the late stages of his career as well. Kansas City has leaned on Kelce as a security blanket for years. At some point, the Chiefs are going to need more established pass catchers to shoulder that load, and the team would be wise to start building that foundation now rather than scrambling for it later.
The A to Z Sports trade simulator pegs the value for Downs as a 4th-round draft choice. I say throw caution to the wind. If a 3rd-round pick gets this deal done, so be it. You have two thanks to the Los Angeles Rams, after all. It’s time to pony up the big offer and get this thing rolling. The AFC is there for the taking. The Chiefs need some long-term answers at wide receiver. Downs feels like a viable addition and value extension candidate if they were to extend him early.
A risk? Yes. But you don’t win big by keeping things close to the vest. It’s time for the Chiefs to get Downs before someone else angling for a Lombardi this season does.
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