Despite their recent loss and underwhelming 5-4 record, the Kansas City Chiefs elected to stand pat at the trade deadline, meaning they will move forward in the 2025 campaign with the same roster in place. Perhaps, they believe that bringing Mike Pennel back is all the help they needed.
The fans expected a move for New York Jets star RB Breece Hall, but to no avail. Moreover, they didn't part ways with any of their starters either, which only spells trouble for out-of-favor WR Tyquan Thornton.
Tyquan Thornton is The Chiefs' Biggest Trade Deadline Loser
Thornton had a big role when the Chiefs were undermanned, but that wasn't enough to bump him up in the pecking order. There were some rumblings about Marquise 'Hollywood' Brown potentially being on the move, and that would've opened things up for the Chiefs' big-play specialist. Now, he's going to stay stuck behind in the depth chart.
His playing time has taken a big dip in recent weeks. He played 72, 75, and 76 percent of the snaps in the first three weeks of the season, but those numbers have gone down to 33, 7, and 23 percent in their past three games. Even so, his production has been better than Brown's.
Brown has played 334 snaps and has turned 53 targets into 34 receptions for 389 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Thornton, on the other hand, only has 14 receptions on 28 targets for 311 receiving yards and three scores.
He's been the big-play specialist and deep-ball threat that Brown was supposed to be, yet Andy Reid has been either unwilling or unable to get him the playing time he so clearly deserves. While Brown failed to step up in Rashee Rice's and Xavier Worthy's absence, Thornton displayed strong chemistry with Patrick Mahomes.
The Chiefs' offense has looked much better now that they have all their pass catchers on the field. Even so, Brown has been fairly disappointing since he joined the team, and there's no logical argument to keep him ahead of Thornton in the pecking order.
Hopefully, the fact that the Chiefs didn't trade their deep-play threat only means that they have a plan to get him more involved in the passing game in the second half of the season. Otherwise, the former New England Patriots wideout will be wise to explore his options and not even consider coming back when he becomes a free agent at the end of the season.