The Chiefs now must trade for a large receiver to assist Patrick Mahomes

Posted by enzo2go October 22, 2024

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Patrick Mahomes is essentially the most talented quarterback within the NFL – and he needs help. Desperate. With emphasis. Immediately.

Since the Kansas City Chiefs need to develop into the primary team to win three Super Bowls in a row, the one option is a trade.

Although the league's trade deadline ends at 3 p.m. CT on Election Day, November 5, the Chiefs' top executives – club owner Clark Hunt, coach Andy Reid and general manager Brett Veach – can have to make a move well before the deadline you read this.

Yes, the Chiefs are the league's only undefeated team with a 6-0 record after Sunday's victory over the San Francisco 49ers, a rematch of Super Bowl LVIII that was tougher than the dazzling comeback Mahomes staged in Las Vegas on the largest stage in sport.

However, Mahomes doesn’t have his three best wide receivers – experienced newcomer Marquise Brown (left shoulder), rising star Rashee Rice (right knee) and JuJu Smith-Schuster (right hamstring), who rejoined the team in late August. Midway through the primary quarter on Sunday, Smith-Schuster suffered a serious hamstring injury and missed the rest of the sport. Reid announced Monday that the Chiefs have already ruled out Smith-Schuster for his or her next game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

For the primary time in his eight-year profession, Mahomes has led the Chiefs to a 6-0 start, a testament to his drive and skill. But given the losses at receiver, you ask yourself: How long can Mahomes proceed to stabilize the Chiefs' passing attack?

Okay, the Chiefs can beat the Raiders without making a trade. Secure. But the competition within the AFC gets tougher because the weather gets colder. Also, have a look at how strange Mahomes' passing stats are through six games – just six touchdowns, a league-leading eight interceptions and an 82.5 passer rating, the bottom of his profession as a starter.

Mahomes needs help. Among healthy players on the skill position, Mahomes trusts essentially the most in tight ends Travis Kelce and Noah Gray, who led the Chiefs with 66 yards rushing against the 49ers for the primary time in his four-year profession. The Chiefs' leading wide receiver on Sunday was rookie speedster Xavier Worthy, who had three receptions on eight targets for 19 yards.

Mahomes was heroic within the second half. He escaped the pocket several times to avoid sacks, he showed elite athleticism in his profession 33-yard run down the sideline, and he saved the Chiefs' offense on a four-and-goal snap by catching 49ers rookie safety Malik Mustapha's one-yard touchdown run made it 1-1.

Fans of each other NFL team must shout to themselves like Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad: “He can’t get away with this!”

The truth is that Mahomes can't try this. We all saw what happened in Super Bowl LV when Mahomes tried his best to be a wizard behind a makeshift offensive line as a result of multiple injuries this season. The Chiefs did not rating a touchdown. The constant pressure from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' outstanding pass rushers forced Mahomes to run time and again – he ran for a complete of 497 yards before releasing the ball, essentially the most pre-throw and pre-sack yards by a quarterback one game this season, in response to Next Gen Stats.

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This time, Mahomes doesn't necessarily need great coverage from the AFC's top prospects to be the rationale he struggles and takes unnecessary hits that endanger his health.

Consider this: If the Chiefs don't make a trade this week, Mahomes will enter the sport with a gaggle of receivers – Worthy, Justin Watson, Mecole Hardman and Skyy Moore – who’ve combined to generate 27 receptions for 343 yards and two touchdowns. Heck, even left tackle Wanya Morris has higher receiving stats this season (one reception for a 1-yard touchdown) than Moore, who has yet to record a reception but has dropped two passes.

The Chiefs' most suitable choice on the trade market appears to be Diontae Johnson, the Carolina Panthers receiver who leads his team with 30 receptions on 58 targets for 357 yards and three touchdowns. Johnson, 5-foot-10 and 183 kilos, can also be the form of speedy receiver Reid loves. Johnson can break away from coverage together with his assignments and can develop into a free agent within the offseason at age 28. If the Chiefs sign Johnson, he can be motivated to do his best, especially within the postseason, to maximise his earning potential.

Another option is New York Giants receiver Darius Slayton, who has 25 receptions on 40 targets for 312 yards and a touchdown. The 27-year-old Slayton is one of the crucial underrated receivers within the league. He averaged 14.8 yards per catch.

Of course, there are other options – DeAndre Hopkins (Titans), Christian Kirk (Jaguars), Demarcus Robinson (Rams), Tutu Atwell (Rams) and Adam Thielen (Panthers).

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Whoever the Chiefs think is essentially the most talented receiver is the one they should get. To seal a deal, think about using a 2025 third-round pick if mandatory, much like what was needed last week when the Buffalo Bills acquired Amari Cooper and the New York Jets acquired Davante Adams. The Chiefs have two 2025 third-round picks, including one they received from the Tennessee Titans for cornerback L'Jarius Sneed.

A trade will help make sure the Chiefs' offense is as strong as possible heading into the postseason and increase the margin for error for Mahomes.

Two years ago, the Chiefs traded with the Giants for receiver Kadarius Toney. Although the trade wasn't an awesome success, Toney did his part to assist the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. He accomplished a 50-yard punt return, the longest in Super Bowl history, and scored a touchdown. Last 12 months, the Chiefs made a small move before the deadline by trading to the Jets for Mecole Hardman, the receiver who scored the walk-off touchdown in Super Bowl LVIII.

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After his first season with the Chiefs, Toney called Reid the neatest coach within the league.

“I’m surrounded by the MVP (Mahomes) and the top tight end (Kelce) in the league,” Toney said on the time.

The Chiefs don't need a superstar receiver. Mahomes has proven he can win championships without him. However, Mahomes needs one other motivated, serviceable and reliable receiver to assist him take the Chiefs to a peak no NFL team has yet reached.



image credit : www.nytimes.com

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