One of the more interesting position groups the Kansas City Chiefs need to rebuild this offseason is the wide receiver room. With that in mind, Chiefs fans are wondering if Tyquan Thornton, who will be a free agent next month, will be back in the mix for the 2026 campaign.
Thornton finished the 2025 season with 438 receiving yards and a trio of touchdowns on 19 catches. This was more than enough to garner interest from the Chiefs; however, it appears that Thornton might be more interested in following his offensive coordinator than in remaining in Kansas City.
Ex-Chiefs OC Matt Nagy landed with the New York Giants under Jim Harbaugh and is already attracting attention from Thornton, via the New York Daily News' Pat Leonard reporting on the possible fit.
"Tyquan Thornton, Chiefs WR
I don’t see nobody stopping me in that scheme, if I’m being honest, as humble as I am... That scheme is everything. And with the skill set that I have, I’m able to go out there and really show what I can do within that scheme."
This is a ringing endorsement and points to Thornton wanting to remain with Nagy.
Tyquan Thornton Sounds Like He Wants to Leave Chiefs for Giants
Thornton's comments are somewhat surprising, given how Kansas City finished the season under Nagy. The veteran receiver only had seven targets in his last four games played with the franchise. Still, it seems that Thornton's loyalty is to Nagy, and this could lead to a surprise competitor when it comes to a potential re-signing.
New York does have Malik Nabers as a serious threat, but the star receiver is coming off a torn ACL, and the rest of the depth chart is extremely underwhelming. Signing Thornton to help create explosive plays for young quarterback Jaxson Dart does make sense.
The Chiefs are in no position to get in a bidding war for Thornton, as OverTheCap has them at an NFL-worst $54.9 million over the salary cap. That's without mentioning their more pressing positional needs, such as running back, EDGE, and offensive line.
Besides, the Chiefs already have Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy both under contract for the 2026 season. It makes more sense for Kansas City to sign cheaper depth options to place behind the duo, as Thornton wasn't consistent enough to justify spending top dollar if the Giants are willing to outbid them.
If Nagy was truly the force behind unlocking Thornton's potential in K.C., the latter's unwavering loyalty might not be surprising at all. Only time will tell if he'll be friend or foe the next time that Chiefs fans see Thornton on the gridiron.