The Kansas City Chiefs are keeping an eye on the competition as two of their AFC rivals, the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets, strengthened their rosters by adding top-tier wide receivers. The Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen will now have Amari Cooper as a target, while Aaron Rodgers will be reunited with his former teammate, Davante Adams, on the Jets.
On Thursday, the Chiefs announced another setback at the receiver position. Already looking to make moves ahead of the trade deadline due to injuries, the team learned that Rashee Rice (knee) and Marquise Brown (shoulder) are expected to be out for several months.
According to Pete Sweeney of Arrowhead Pride, JuJu Smith-Schuster was added to the Chiefs’ injury report as a limited participant in Thursday’s practice due to a hamstring issue.
“The injury report for the Chiefs is the same as yesterday, except for the addition of WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, who was limited on Thursday due to a hamstring issue,” Sweeney noted on X. “Never a good sign to see a player pop up midweek. We’ll see what his final status is on Friday afternoon.”
One trade option for the Chiefs could be Adam Thielen, a veteran wide receiver who previously expressed interest in joining Kansas City. This past offseason, Thielen signed a three-year, $25 million deal with the Carolina Panthers but revealed he had considered the Chiefs as a destination.
In September, ESPN’s Adam Schefter speculated that the Panthers might be willing to trade either Diontae Johnson or Adam Thielen if their season took a turn for the worse.
Heading into their Week 7 game against the Washington Commanders, the Panthers hold a 1-5 record. While veteran quarterback Andy Dalton has shown more effectiveness than second-year QB Bryce Young, Thielen’s production has been limited.
Thielen, once an undrafted player who became a standout for the Minnesota Vikings, has only managed eight catches for 109 yards and one touchdown over six games this season. Despite being 34 years old, his previous performance—1,014 receiving yards in 2023—shows he still has the potential to contribute to a team like the Chiefs in their quest for another Super Bowl.
Given Thielen’s likely status as a cap casualty before next year’s free agency, the Chiefs should consider offering no more than a late Day 3 pick if they decide to trade for the seasoned receiver.
