The Kansas City Chiefs are dealing with two wide receiver injuries after their Week 4 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, and a free-agent reunion could be on the table. Tyreek Hill’s name has dominated the conversation, but Chiefs GM Brett Veach has other former players to consider.

Early in the game, Kansas City lost WR Rashee Rice to a hamstring injury after he played just six offensive snaps. Rice pulled up after making a 5-yard reception and was ruled doubtful to return. While the injury is not believed to be significant, it could take a couple of weeks for him to return, even with the bye week coming up in Week 5.

The other injury was much more substantial. WR Tyquan Thornton dislocated his ankle on a 55-yard reception in the fourth quarter. Thornton was in good spirits in the locker room after the game and flew back with the team after having his injury reduced. That’s a good sign the injury may not be as severe as it could have been. No compound fracture was reported, and we should learn more about Thornton’s prognosis soon.

Chiefs connected to Tyreek Hill, but other options exist

After the wide receiver injuries, the Chiefs have been linked to free agent WR Tyreek Hill. Kansas City drafted Hill in the 2016 NFL Draft, and he played six seasons before being traded to the Miami Dolphins. Hill is still recovering from the knee injury he suffered in Week 4 of the 2025 NFL season, which included damage to multiple ligaments, including his ACL.

Things seem to be ramping up rather quickly toward a potential reunion between the Chiefs and Hill. His agent says that they’re actively negotiating, with multiple teams pursuing Hill.

“I would anticipate Tyreek potentially signing with a team over the next few days,” Rosenhaus told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

If the bidding war for Hill gets too expensive, Veach has other options. Three more wide receivers on the free agent market aren’t recovering from significant injuries, and all of them have the experience to fit back in with Kansas City seamlessly.

3 former Chiefs wide receivers available in free agency

Justin Watson

The Houston Texans released Watson in August. He spent three seasons in Kansas City from 2022 through 2024. Over the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Watson started 17 regular season games and recorded 42 receptions for 775 yards and five touchdowns. He added 22 receptions for 289 yards and two touchdowns in 2024.

Watson was a verifiable deep threat for the Chiefs, averaging 21 yards per reception in 2022 and 17 yards per reception in 2023. Realistically, he has played the exact role Thornton fills now. He won Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles, catching two passes for 18 yards, and Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers, catching three passes for 54 yards. He has the trust of Patrick Mahomes and the speed to help replace a player like Thornton.

Juju Smith-Schuster

Depending on how long Rice might be out, a reunion with Smith-Schuster could make sense for Kansas City. He has played that exact role for the Chiefs before. Smith-Schuster was with the team in 2022, and then again in 2024 and 2025.

In total, he started 34 games for Kansas City, with 129 receptions for over 1,500 yards and six touchdowns across those three seasons. Smith-Schuster spent a portion of the offseason with the New York Giants before they released him during 53-man roster cuts. Even if he couldn’t crack the roster there, he’s still only 29 and has been a strong veteran leader in the past.

Mecole Hardman

Hardman spent the 2025 NFL season with the Buffalo Bills, who released him on Aug. 29. The Chiefs drafted him in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Georgia, and he spent his first four seasons in Kansas City. He signed with the New York Jets in free agency in 2023 but eventually asked to be traded. The Chiefs reacquired him from the Jets for a seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

That return paid off in a big way. In Super Bowl LVIII, Hardman caught the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime, sealing the Chiefs’ 25-22 win over the 49ers. It marked his third Super Bowl title with Kansas City.

Hardman could also make sense because of his special-teams ability as a kickoff and punt returner. If other players take larger roles on offense and step away from special teams, Hardman could fill that gap. He has plenty of experience with Mahomes, too. Over six seasons with Kansas City, he started 28 games and appeared in 75, catching 177 passes for 2,296 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also appeared in 14 playoff games for the Chiefs, catching 27 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns.