The Kansas City Chiefs entered the bye week with plenty of reasons to celebrate, but also some glaring concerns. Their wide receiver position was already a concern, both from a depth perspective and a proven-star standpoint. Injuries have only made it worse.
Losing Tyquan Thornton for the remainder of the regular season is a huge blow, and Rashee Rice might miss time with a hamstring injury. Even if Rice does return without missing action, his track record of staying on the field has been about as bad as any player's over the past couple of years for various reasons.
That's why Kansas City and Brett Veach should be all over Brian Thomas Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars. After what was a very promising rookie season, Thomas has fallen behind Parker Washington in the pecking order, as well as targets being gobbled up by Jakobi Meyers, Brenton Strange, and newcomer Josh Cameron. Chances are, the Jags would be willing to part ways with Thomas - for the right price.
Brian Thomas Jr. is the perfect trade candidate for Kansas City before the November deadline
The Houston Texans inexplicably gave up a 2027 second-round and sixth-round pick to get Marvin Harrison Jr. from the Arizona Cardinals. If that's what a former No. 4 pick goes for, then Thomas should be gettable at a more reasonable price, especially with how much better he's looked on the field than Harrison has.
Granted, Thomas, for whatever reason, has taken a dip this year. But perhaps all he needs is a change of scenery. He thrived under Doug Pederson, who has a very good relationship with Andy Reid. Thomas might just not be a good fit for Liam Coen's offense.
Also, with Parker Washington blossoming as a star and the Jaguas spreading the ball around with Strange and Meyers, there are only so many touches to go around for the former first-round pick.
We're talking about a young man who put himself in the 'best wide receiver in this class' conversation as a rookie. He turned 133 targets into 87 receptions for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns. That's over 75 yards per game on nearly 15 yards per catch. It's bona fide WR1 production with a sharpie.
Patrick Mahomes needs playmakers, and bringing back Justin Watson or signing Tyreek Hill aren't the moves this team needs to make in 2026. They ought to get young playmakers with high upside who can make a difference this season and for years to come.
Thornton's injury should open the door for Jalen Royals and Cyrus Allen to get some run, but this team needs more. There's no certainty about Rice's future with the organization, and it's become painfully evident that Xavier Worthy isn't WR1 material.
The Texans were 0-4 and decided to do something about it, even though their passing game wasn't the problem. The Chiefs are 4-0, but they haven't been perfect, and they should address this issue before it's too late.
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