The Kansas City Chiefs continue to roll. Despite starting the season on opening night with a loss to the Detroit Lions, the Chiefs have not lost since on their road to a 6-1 start. Behind the talent of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs look once again like they are poised for a championship run.
With a team defending a title and the best QB in football under center, could right now be the right time to make at least one trade deadline move? There is an argument to be made that the Chiefs could sneakily add more weapons to bolster their talented roster as they look to go back-to-back in 2023.
Kansas City Chiefs Trade Deadline Moves
The Chiefs have already dove into the NFL trade market in the last couple of weeks when they reunited with WR Mecole Hardman. Hardman was essentially unused in New York with the Jets, and instead of letting him sit on their bench getting no use, the Chiefs opted to trade a late-round draft pick to the Jets to bring Hardman back to Kansas City.
MORE: Kansas City Chiefs Depth Chart
While they have that move under their belt, could the Chiefs continue to add the roster? Maybe even at the wide receiver position once again. Let’s look at some options that may make sense for the team.
Marquise Brown, WR, Arizona Cardinals
“Hollywood” Brown is an exciting speed option that could thrive in the Chiefs offense with Mahomes. Adding another WR option that can stretch the field and be a deep target for Mahomes and this offense could work wonders for this already potent offensive attack, and the Cardinals, who are rebuilding and already moving players, may play ball to make it happen.
Thus far, in seven games, Brown has tallied 32 receptions, 383 yards, and three touchdowns. He has proved to be a reliable pass-catching option in an interesting, but looking towards the future, Cardinals offense. Brown is in the final year of his rookie deal and is set to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
The Cardinals have a decision on their hands — do they see Brown in their plans and look to lock him up for what will be a good sized payday, or do they opt to start fresh with a new head coach and possibly a new QB in 2024, and use this as a chance to get something in return. If they choose the latter, it could be a perfect fit for this Chiefs offensive attack.
Lawrence Guy, DT, New England Patriots
Despite having Chris Jones in the middle of their defense, adding quality depth at a reasonable price is always worth a look at.
Lawrence Guy would add a veteran presence on a team-friendly deal to come in and provide good reps both in the run defense and pass rush for a Chiefs team looking to defend their title.
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Guy is entering his 12th season in the NFL, and he has two seasons remaining on his contract that will pay him a base salary of $2 million in both. Guy has been a productive member and leader for the Patriots for quite some time now and is a solid run stuffer.
It’s a move that not many will initially rave about as it probably only takes a late-round pick to make happen, but it could provide stability and quality depth as the year goes on, the weather gets colder, and the football across the league gets tougher in the middle.
DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Tennessee Titans
Hopkins would be an eyebrow-riser if he were to be traded to the Chiefs — a household name who admittedly said he wanted to play for a contender while he was a free agent this offseason. He chose the Titans, and it looks as if they are more sellers than contenders at this point. Could one of those pieces on the move be Hopkins?
Thus far this season, Hopkins has totaled 27 receptions, 376 receiving yards, and zero touchdowns in seven games — not terrible numbers, but not the level of impact or commitment the team may want to have on their roster as they sit 2-4. Hopkins signed a two-year, $26 million contract with the Titans, and with a season that does not look all that promising right now, they may choose to move on sooner rather than later.
If Tennessee does opt to move on from Hopkins in the middle of the season, the Chiefs make a lot of sense as a landing spot. Hopkins, if he is allowed to have a say in his next destination, surely would not be upset about this landing spot as he would immediately be on an elite-level football team for the rest of the season.
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