Cleveland's Jerry Jeudy A Possible Solution For Kansas City's WR Dilemma

It was perhaps with bated breath and a fair bit of finger-crossing that Kansas City Chiefs' fans greeted the rumor that wide receiver Tyreek Hill might be contemplating a return to Arrowhead Stadium.

The Chiefs didn't exactly squelch those rumors, but it now looks like an extreme long shot that Hill will return after he was convicted of two counts of battery against his estranged spouse on Tuesday. That means Hill will undoubtedly be facing discipline via the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy and, to be honest, no one is really sure when Hill will actually be able to play as he continues to rehab from a serious knee injury he suffered last September while playing for the Miami Dolphins.

So, it appears that the Hill Reunion Train has departed.

Left standing at the station, however, are the Chiefs who still have some serious WR problems to figure out.

Sure, they stand 4-0 coming out of their bye with a game against the Los Angeles Chargers in SoFi Stadium coming up on Sunday (3:25 p.m. CT on CBS), but that record is due in large part to the play-calling wizardry of coach Andy Reid, the magic of QB Patrick Mahomes, the rebirth of tight end Travis Kelce and the arrival like a comet of Kenneth Walker III to the backfield, courtesy of an astute free-agent signing.

Notice what's missing there? Significant contributions from the receiving corps.

Tyquan Thornton appeared to be moving into position as Mahomes' No. 1 deep target, but a gruesome ankle injury suffered against the Las Vegas Raiders on Oct. 4 has consigned him to IR. After four games, Thornton was averaging a team-best 19.9 yards on 11 catches with two touchdowns.

Elsewhere, the wideouts have underwhelmed. Everyone is still waiting for the full arrival of Xavier Worthy, who leads the unit with 14 catches, but for only 133 yards (9.5 average), while Rashee Rice (13 catches, 190 yards) has been in-and-out of the lineup due to injuries.

What remains in the WR cupboard? Not much, with Jalen Royals and his three catches for 17 yards the apparent next-man-up.

That's why the Hill rumors sprouted, along with whispers that the Chiefs could be in on Marvin Harrison Jr., who ended up getting traded from the Arizona Cardinals to the Houston Texans.

One name that could make some sense on the trade front is the Cleveland Browns' Jerry Jeudy.

The seven-year pro, who is still just 27 years old, was the No. 15 pick by the Denver Broncos in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft and after four seasons in Denver was traded to the Browns prior to the 2024 season.

Jeudy does have a somewhat impressive track record, highlighted by a 90-catch, 1,229-yard first season in Cleveland, but since then he has languished. Last year, he finished with 50 grabs for 602 yards and through five 2026 games, in which he has started only two, he has just eight catches for 81 yards.

Some of that can be explained by the arrival of rookie WRs Denzel Boston and K.C. Concepcion, who have combined for 34 catches and 479 yards, with Boston leading the league with a 20.6-yard average on his 16 grabs. Still, Jeudy also ranks behind Isaiah Bond in yardage (86-81) despite having three more catches.

Scott Polacek of Bleacher Report noted on Oct. 13, via the NFL Network's Jordan Schultz, that Jeudy was on the trading block.

"It's pretty well known around the league that Jeudy's available," Polacek quoted Schultz as saying. "But my understanding is Cleveland would like something in that early third to fourth [round] range. I'm just not sure they'll be able to get it. Bottom line, Jerry Jeudy's available. And he's another name I'd keep an eye on as we get closer to the deadline."

It's highly unlikely the Browns will get a third- or fourth-round draft pick for Jeudy, especially as he seems to have become persona non grata in Cleveland while his glory days continue to recede in the rearview mirror.

But could the increasingly desperate Chiefs offer a fifth- or sixth-rounder for him as they look to consolidate their position at the top of the AFC? The trade deadline looms on Nov. 10 with the Chiefs hoping not to be left behind again.