Chiefs Finally Address Receiver Situation With A Reliable Option

The Kansas City Chiefs finally made a move to address their wide receiver situation, as they added Josh Downs of the Indianapolis Colts at the trade deadline on Tuesday. Nate Taylor of ESPN did a breakdown on Downs fit and what he brings to the table, starting with the price. 

It was an interesting process. The Chiefs reportedly offered a fourth-round pick for Downs, but they probably had plenty of company with that initial offer. It was their willingness to swap Day 3 picks with the Colts that finally got it done, per Taylor, as they wound up surrendering fourth- and fifth-round picks in 2027 for Downs, and they’ll also receive Indy’s seventh-round pick next year. 

This isn’t a hard trade to figure out that requires a lot of analytics and metrics. It’s about production from a lackluster group of receivers beyond Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy, with Worthy also being a significant disappointment. 

According to Taylor, quarterback Patrick Mahomes hasn't completed a pass that traveled over 20 yards in the air since Week 4, and that number coincides with the loss of emerging deep threat Tyquan Thornton, who suffered a dislocated left ankle in that same week against Las Vegas.

"[Against] man coverage, he's going to win,"  said ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky.

The analyst added that the Chiefs will be competing with playoff candidates like the Cincinnati Bengals, who play a fair amount man coverage, and the Jacksonvill Jaguars, who play matchup coverage based on zone principles. 

Forget the analysis, though. The Chiefs needed someone reliable to catch passes, because right now they don’t have that other than Rice, who’s been in and out of the lineup with injuries. 

Downs won’t be dominant, though. He’s had over 100 yards receiving just twice in his career, per Taylor, but the Chiefs believe he’ll complement Rice and tight end Travis Kelce. 

As for that dominant player, the Chiefs already have him. Running Kenneth Walker III got back on track with over 100 yards rushing against the New York Jets on Sunday, and Walker posted two touchdowns in the game on short passes as the Chiefs continue to integrate him into that part of their offense. 

This week could be tricky, though. The Chiefs have a road game against the Atlanta Falcons, and getting Downs on the same page with Mahomes is going to take time. Coach Andy Reid has already mentioned learning the playbook quickly as a criteria for the new receiver, so it will be interesting to see how much Downs can pick up in just a few practices.