The Kansas City Chiefs have a wide receiver problem. Injuries to Tyquan Thornton and Rashee Rice have depleted the position group, and it showed in Week 7’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Kansas City’s top wide receiver, rookie Cyrus Allen, finished with just 18 yards on one catch. The rest of the group made so little impact that Mike Tirico couldn’t even get their names right. Now, the Chiefs are looking for outside help ahead of the NFL trade deadline. Whether they find one before the Nov. 10 deadline is another matter.

Adam Schefter has doubts that the Chiefs will land a wide receiver

During his weekly spot on “The Pat McAfee Show,” ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported that the Chiefs have been calling around about acquiring a wide receiver in a trade. He expects those calls to continue. However, Schefter does not believe a deal is imminent, and he has doubts about whether K.C. will be able to get one done at all.

“You know, they have been calling around, and I don’t think it would be a surprise to see them continue to attempt to add a wide receiver before the trade deadline, two weeks from tomorrow,” Schefter said. “Whether they can get it done, we’ll see.

“I think the bigger issue last night, we talked about on Get Up this morning, was the offensive tackle position. They had two new offensive tackles in last night, couldn’t keep the defense away from Patrick Mahomes. Couldn’t mount the ground game that they have in other years, and they kind of feed off each other. Right, if the protection’s coming, then the run game’s thriving, and just none of that worked last night. Then they didn’t reach the red zone a single time for the first time in Patrick Mahomes’ NFL career. So, I think it was just all out of whack.

“They’re still 5 and 1. They just got beat last night. Happens with most everybody, but the ’72 Dolphins, and I would think that this team still is a favorite in the AFC. But I do think that they’ll be calling around on wide receivers, and they will attempt to look to upgrade that position.”

Fans hoping for a deadline addition should take those doubts seriously. Schefter isn’t the type to throw cold water on a situation without reason.

A quick survey of wide receivers trade targets

Several names stand out as potential trade candidates, though each one comes with a catch.

Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr.: Thomas has fallen down the pecking order in Jacksonville after an impressive 2024 rookie season, when he topped 1,200 yards.

Browns WR Jerry Jeudy: A natural fit because of his connection to Chiefs wide receivers coach Chad O’Shea. However, he’s made some plays in recent weeks that might have a surging Cleveland team hesitant to send him to an AFC contender. The Jaguars face a similar dilemma with Thomas.

Vikings WR Jauan Jennings: Jennings has just two receptions for nine yards. He also doesn’t fit what Kansas City needs: a speedy deep threat.

Titans WR Calvin Ridley: Ridley might make sense because of the team’s connection to Mike Borgonzi. That said, he’s averaging a career-low 13.5 receiving yards per game while Tennessee leans on younger players like Carnell Tate and Elic Ayomanor.

Cowboys WR George Pickens: Pickens has long been connected to Kansas City, dating back to when the Chiefs made a slight trade down and passed on him to take Skyy Moore. He fits the profile of the bigger X receiver the Chiefs have lacked, and he can beat man coverage. The question is whether he has his head on straight and could thrive in a system like Kansas City’s.

Colts WR Josh Downs: Downs would make a lot of sense, and we’ve explored that trade possibility before. Some might wonder whether he’s redundant next to Xavier Worthy. On the flip side, that kind of overlap worked well when Worthy and Thornton operated at a high level alongside each other.

Eagles WR Marquise Brown: Brown is also being floated as an option. He already has familiarity with the Chiefs’ system, but he had limited success during his previous stint with the team. This wouldn’t be an upgrade. Instead, it would be a desperate attempt to find some consistency with a player who knows the offense and could integrate quickly.

The problem with nearly every option on the board

It’s hard to envision many of these players as a true upgrade over what the Chiefs already have. None of them is a surefire No. 1 wide receiver who’ll change the game for Kansas City.

Only one option in that category may be available: Jets WR Garrett Wilson.

He was a 1,000-yard receiver for three consecutive seasons when the Jets didn’t give him much help. He only played 7 games in 2025. He’s averaging 12 yards per reception in 2026 and looks just as effective through the first seven weeks this year.

The situation in New York, though, raises its own complications. Would a rebuilding team still searching for its quarterback of the future want to unload the player who would be that quarterback’s top target and safety net? It’s a tough sell for any front office.

With a strong enough return, Wilson could be pried away, like any player. As far as difference-making players go, he’s probably the only one who fits what the Chiefs truly lack at the position. Whether Kansas City is willing to pay that price, and whether the Jets are willing to listen, remains to be seen.