The Kansas City Chiefs have had a consistent level of frustration with the receiving room this season. And at the center of it all has been Xavier Worthy. The third-year pass-catcher has been defined so far by injuries and underwhelming production.
He faced yet another setback in what was a dominant 35-12 win over the New York Jets, suffering a hamstring injury. While the severity of the ailment is unknown, it's time for the Chiefs to fully hit the panic button and add to the position before Tuesday's trade deadline.
Even before Worthy went down, it was clear the Chiefs needed another reliable pass-catcher for Patrick Mahomes. He and Kenneth Walker III are being asked to do far more than is fair, and while Rashee Rice does make a difference, he cannot be relied on to stay on the field. With this in mind, Worthy's injury should be the final straw and push GM Brett Veach and the KC front office to make a splashy move.
Chiefs must do whatever it takes to land Patrick Mahomes needed receiver help
Looking around the league, it seems that Brian Thomas Jr. and Josh Downs are the top two options contenders are looking to land on the trade market. Kansas City isn't the only team looking for help at receiver, and the situation calls for them to be aggressive in adding a guy, even if it means spending up.
For a team in contention for the AFC's No. 1 seed and in a heated division battle with the Denver Broncos, Veach must exhaust every opportunity.
Mahomes must be given capable pass-catching options that he really hasn't had since the departure of Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce's slow year-by-year regression. By all accounts, it seems like the Colts are holding firm on their third-round pick asking price for Downs. KC has two third-round selections in next year's draft. They can absolutely live with parting with one of them.
Worthy's injury really is just another push in what is already a dire situation. Even when he was healthy, Worthy could not be relied upon snap to snap, especially downfield.
For the Chiefs' decision-makers, the urgency has never been higher. Whether it is Downs, Thomas, or a surprise option, the Chiefs badly need an option Mahomes can turn to aside from an aging Travis Kelce.
It will be interesting to watch how aggressive the Chiefs opt to be in the next 48 hours and whether or not a deal can be struck that leaves no doubt that Kansas City is a clear AFC frontrunner.
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