Which wide receivers could the Chiefs target in a trade?

A report this morning has the Kansas City Chiefs making trade calls for a “top” receiver, per ESPN’s Dianna Russini. With the newly found norm for teams to give up big draft capital for top players, the idea of a Chiefs trade for a well known receiver doesn’t seem as far fetched as it once did. They did just trade away one of the best receivers in the game in Tyreek Hill, but that doesn’t mean another player wouldn’t want the contract they were willing to give Hill before he moved on to Miami.

Below are just a few names the Chiefs could look into.

Brandin Cooks, Texans

Cooks has been traded often in his career, but not due to a lack of ability. He puts up numbers wherever he is and would be a strong addition to Patrick Mahomes’ targets. The Texans have very little firepower on their offense, so they very much need Cooks, but the team is also likely still in tank mode as they try to jockey for draft capital and the first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf, Seahawks

The Seahawks should be in tank mode after trading away Russell Wilson, but they have two of the best receivers in the league with nobody to throw to them. Trading Lockett away makes more sense, as he turns 30 in September, while Metcalf recently turned 24. But, Metcalf is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is set to get paid. The Chiefs aren’t against paying a top receiver, despite the Hill trade, so a deal could be made. In the end it really depends on the Seahawks, who continue to say they aren’t in rebuilding mode, but the Chiefs have an extra first rounder that could go a long way toward getting a top guy.

Marquise Brown, Ravens

Lamar Jackson was adamantly against a Brown trade when it was suggested on Twitter, but Brown did remove all references to the Ravens from his social media accounts, so there could be something going on there. It’s a long shot, but Brown with Mahomes throwing him the ball would be fun to watch.

DeVante Parker, Dolphins

Parker doesn’t compare favorably to this list, but the Dolphins are likely trying to shop him after the Hill trade and Parker can be a plus receiver when healthy. Add in Mahomes throwing to him and we would see the best Parker has to offer.

Other possibilities

The Jaguars’ Laviska Shenault’s name has been thrown about as a trade prospect, which would be a nice young receiver to work with in Kansas City. D.J. Moore in Carolina just got an extension, so he’s probably sticking around, but the Panthers may not even have a quarterback this season and could be forced into a tanking situation. The same could be said about Robby Anderson, but with the signing of Marquez Valdes-Scantling, I doubt they go after Anderson. Kenny Golladay is another possibility. Golladay was a free agent signing bust and the Giants would need to take on a lot of salary, but they probably would also like a clean slate after that move.

Free agency

There are still some free agents worth considering. Will Fuller, Odell Beckham Jr., Jarvis Landry, Julio Jones, and T.Y. Hilton are all still out there. But, it sounds like the Chiefs want to find someone reliable and ready to make a real impact this season. If they’re lucky, they could end up pulling off a big move and helping their chances in a stacked AFC West in 2022.