As expected, and despite having some glaring needs to address, the Kansas City Chiefs didn't do much at the trade deadline. Of course, adding Josh Downs to the mix helps in a big way, but it might not be enough.
The Chiefs added a slot specialist to the mix, and Downs should be an immediate upgrade over the ever-struggling and injured Xavier Worthy. That said, this team is still missing a vertical threat, and Tyquan Thornton won't return any time soon.
That's why, with Brett Veach not making another move, it feels like the door is still wide open for a Tyreek Hill reunion. He's inching closer to being back to full strength, and that may have been the plan all along.
Kansas City could still have their sights set on a reunion with franchise legend
The Chiefs hoped that Worthy would be the deep-play specialist they lost when they traded Hill, but that ship has sailed. Even when healthy, the former first-round pick has looked much closer to a bust than an actual difference-maker.
Hill's complicated situation off the field might scare most teams away, but this organization has already proven it doesn't care about that kind of stuff. They faced backlash for signing Justin Tucker to the practice squad, but that certainly won't stop them from signing Hill if they feel like he can make a difference.
Of course, expecting him to be the same All-World talent he was in his heyday is just unrealistic. He won't be a one-play drive waiting to happen on every route, and he definitely won't flirt with 100 receiving yards in every game. That said, things are so bad in the Chiefs' wide receiver corps right now that whatever's left of him will probably be an upgrade for this team.
The Chiefs don't seem comfortable trusting rookie Cyrus Allen to play big snaps, even though he's shown glimpses of strong play since training camp. In an ideal scenario, they would give him more opportunities to prove his worth in the second half of the season, but that's not how Andy Reid usually operates.
Granted, giving the rookie a longer leash would probably be better and make much more sense than signing this version of Tyreek Hill, but this is the Kansas City Chiefs we're talking about here; they can't resist a former wide receiver past his prime and available for a return.
Hopefully, a third-down specialist and reliable pass catcher like Josh Downs can give Patrick Mahomes the go-to guy he's so clearly missing. Otherwise, this team might walk right back into Tyreek Hill and everything that comes with him.
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