Chiefs New Receiver Also Needs To Be A Great Fit

The Kansas City Chiefs need a receiver, and this isn’t exactly front-page news right now. All kinds of names have been thrown around, from the spectacular to the mundane, but the real question is which one is the best fit. 

Jesse Newell of the Athletic addressed this question for two of the primary trade acquisition candidates, Josh Downs and Brian Thomas Jr. His thoughts and points were intriguing, and he mentioned at least a couple of things that haven’t been raised as part of the argument yet

Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts

Downs isn’t that big at 5’9” 170 pounds, but he is considered a strong route runner and a good separator, per Newell. He excels at beating man coverage, which has been a problem for Kansas City all season, and he would provide the proverbial “easy button” for quarterback Patrick Mahomes when Mahomes gets in trouble. 

The Colts receiver also brings versatility to the table as a punt returner. The Chiefs are ranked 29th in expected points per punt return, the writer added, so Downs could add value there. 

The big sticking point with Downs would be learning the playbook, which is a prominent issue for coach Andy Reid. The Chiefs have a lot of permutations of the plays they run, and Mahomes factors into this as well with his last-second changes and adjustments. 

Downs has also mostly been a slot receiver, which is a crowded spot for the Chiefs when they’re healthy. Newell noted that Downs isn’t a perfect fit to replace injured receiver Tyquan Thornton, but he would give the Chiefs a deep threat that they badly need right now. 

Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars

Thomas would give the Chief genuine size at 6’2” 209 pounds, and he’s a true outside receiver. He also knows the Reid playbook from his time with Doug Pederson, who fashioned his offense after Reid’s, and he’d be under team control for several more seasons. 

Newell’s projected value for Thomas was a third-round pick, but the market for him is going to be very competitive, so that could come into play as well. 

The big problem with this trade is that the Jags and Chiefs are potential playoff opponents, and Jacksonville will have plenty of choices when it comes to trade partners. 

The Chiefs would also have to consider why Thomas’s production has fallen off so badly, and the story there is that he struggled with drops and was replaced as by Jakobi Meyers as the favorite target of quarterback Trevor Lawrence when Jacksonville traded for Meyers.