The NFL trade deadline is set for 3 p.m. CT on Tuesday, and the Kansas City Chiefs’ search for a wide receiver could come down to the wire. The Chiefs have been pursuing a wide receiver addition for some time. According to two of the league’s top insiders, they’ve been focused on one particular player: Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.

If Kansas City lands Thomas, it would be the biggest move of Brett Veach’s at the trade deadline. The latest intel suggests the Chiefs have wanted him for longer than you might think.

What NFL insiders are saying about the Chiefs and Brian Thomas Jr.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport discussed potential wide receiver trades on The Aftermath and shared new information on Kansas City’s pursuit. Fowler framed the Chiefs’ decision as a choice between two targets. The first is Thomas. The second is Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs.

“Well, there are a few players in the mix there,” Fowler said. “We talked about Josh Downs in Indianapolis, Brian Thomas Jr. There’s a lot of interest in the player, but as we discussed, will Jacksonville actually part with them? They still see value in Thomas. They would rather add than decrease this trade deadline, which we’re seeing right now. They’ve made trades for two players: a D-lineman and safety Jesse Bates. So we’ll see if they want to try to recoup some of that draft capital by trading away Thomas. But you’ve got the Kansas City Chiefs lurking here. They have been looking hard for a receiver. Do they make a move for one of those two players?”

The Chiefs seem to have a clear preference between those two players. According to Rapoport, the team’s pursuit of Thomas goes beyond the 2026 NFL season and the upcoming trade deadline. He said Kansas City was also interested in Thomas last year.

“Sure, and you know, for the Kansas City Chiefs, they have been interested in Brian Thomas Jr. for some time, even going back to last year,” Rapoport said. “It feels like a matter of when, not if. We just don’t know if that’s something that’s going to happen this season or maybe in the offseason. And you know, as we’ve discussed, one of the issues for the Jaguars is how much do they want to help a team that could potentially be someone they would see down the road? But Brian Thomas Jr. seems to be the player that is garnering the most interest on the receiver market.”

That matters because it signals this isn’t a panic move or a short-term rental search. The Chiefs view Thomas as a player who fits their long-term plans at the position. Their interest has also held steady across two different seasons.

Why the Jaguars might be willing to trade Brian Thomas Jr.

Jacksonville has a reason to listen. One factor that could make the Jaguars flinch and trade away a player like Thomas is the need to recoup draft capital, a point Fowler raised during the discussion.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter outlined the compensation headed to the New Orleans Saints in the Jaguars’ recent trade for defensive tackle Davon Godchaux. The Saints are receiving a conditional 2028 sixth-round pick. However, that pick could turn into a 2027 sixth-round pick, depending on the conditions attached to the deal.

Here’s the thing: Jacksonville doesn’t have a 2027 sixth-round pick. The Jags would have to acquire one to cover that condition, which suggests another trade is coming. Unless the conditions attached to the pick are totally unachievable.

You know who does have 2027 sixth-round picks? The Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City most recently acquired one in the trade that sent Wanya Morris to the Atlanta Falcons. A sixth-round pick won’t headline any deal for a player of Thomas’ caliber. Still, it’s the type of piece that could help the two sides make the math work.

What could sabotage the Chiefs’ pursuit of a wide receiver?

The Chiefs aren’t the only team shopping in this market. The Pittsburgh Steelers are also considered players in the wide receiver trade market. Rapoport described them as being on the periphery, though, and said they don’t want to give up much draft capital. That’s good news for Kansas City. If Pittsburgh isn’t willing to pay a premium, the Chiefs’ biggest obstacle could be the Jaguars’ asking price, not a bidding war.

The other part of the equation is exactly why a deal hasn’t come to fruition yet. Does Jacksonville truly want to deal Thomas? The Jaguars are going all-in, seeing 2026 as their chance at a Super Bowl title. They’ve already added DTs Davon Godchaux and Jordan Davis, along with S Jessie Bates, beefing up their defense. Trading wide receiver depth would seem to run counter to the all-in strategy they’ve adopted.

What are the Chiefs saying about wide receiver trades ahead of the NFL deadline?

On Monday, Andy Reid made sure to praise the players who are ascending on his roster. Whether they’re part of the solution or not, the Chiefs will need them. Reid didn’t give away any specific target for Kansas City. However, the Chiefs’ head coach made it clear that Veach is doing his due diligence ahead of the deadline.

“I tell you, (Jalen) Royals, I thought did a nice job,” Reid said. “About the young guys, I thought he did a nice job, and Cy (Cyrus Allen), we’re kind of working in just as an update on our own guys. We feel pretty good about him on some things there. So and his improvement, although his production, he didn’t have much production yesterday, as far as catches and all I go. But as you know, Brett (Veach) always keeps his eyes open. I don’t have to say anything, but he always looking and trying to improve the roster, and so that part hasn’t changed. He’s out there searching and doing his due diligence, right?”

As for the player side, Patrick Mahomes isn’t getting involved in the process right now. The Chiefs’ quarterback is focused on getting his elbow healthy ahead of the Week 10 matchup against the Falcons. Mahomes insisted that he’ll make the most of whoever is in the building and go out and try to win.

“I leave that all up to (General Manager Brett) Veach and (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid,” Mahomes said. “Whoever’s in that building, I go out there and try to make the most of it and win football games. I think we’ve done a great job of that with a lot of different guys, and I see the work these guys put in every single day, and they’re ready. They’re ready to go out there and make plays when their numbers called and so, I’ll leave that up to those guys.”

What comes next for Kansas City? Well, they’ve got to decide whether it’s plan A or B. That might come down to whether Veach can convince either team to budge on Thomas Jr. and Downs. Perhaps a plan C comes to fruition in the eleventh hour.

Even if the Jaguars continue to rebuff the Chiefs’ attempts to acquire Thomas Jr., as Rapoport suggests, this might not be the end of that. It just might not help them this season when they really need it.