With receiver Rashee Rice likely out for a while, if not the entire season, the Chiefs will need help at receiver. To get it, they can go next man up — or next man in.
The internal options are limited. They obviously need more out of tight end Travis Kelce, and they got some of it on Sunday against the Chargers. Rookie receiver Xavier Worthy needs to accelerate his acclimation to the offense.
Others already in the lineup need to contribute, from Justin Watson to JuJu Smith-Schuster to Mecole Hardman to Skyy Moore to Noah Gray.
Available free agents include Michael Thomas, Hunter Renfrow, Corey Davis, Julio Jones, and Chase Claypool. Those options frankly aren’t great.
Also, trades can happen for the next five weeks and a day.
The Chiefs should be looking perhaps for someone they can add now and/or someone they can add closer to the deadline, when more teams are willing and able to acknowledge that they aren’t contenders. Also, other receivers not happy with their current situations might decide to agitate for a trade to Arrowhead.
Possibilities include Browns receivers Amari Cooper (who reportedly was almost traded to the 49ers) and Elijah Moore, Jaguars receiver Christian Kirk, Dolphins receiver Odell Beckham Jr., Panthers receiver Diontae Johnson, Giants receivers Darius Slayton and Jalin Hyatt, Titans receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Tyler Boyd.
Then there’s Raiders receiver Davante Adams. He might want to play for the Chiefs. The Raiders might never allow their division rivals to get him.
Maybe the Chiefs simply rely on the guys they have. They should at least consider all options, if (as expected) Rice will miss extensive playing time.
