The Kansas City Chiefs fell just short in their attempt for a historic three Super Bowl victories in a row.
In the big game, the offense failed to produce and the defense couldn’t keep them in the game. Luckily, the Chiefs still have a prime Patrick Mahomes to lead their offense for years to come.
The Chiefs have had large roster turnover over the past few seasons when it comes to the wide receiver position. NFL analyst Jeff Darlington suggests the Chiefs should continue this trend by acquiring WR Deebo Samuel Sr. from the San Francisco 49ers.
Deebo Samuel Sr.: The Newest Chief?
The Chiefs have some interesting pieces at the pass-catching positions.
Kansas City has up-and-coming speedster Xavier Worthy alongside Rashee Rice, who will be returning from injury. Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and DeAndre Hopkins are all headed for free agency, leaving openings at wide receiver.
And of course, the biggest pass-catching asset for the Chiefs, Travis Kelce, has an uncertain future amidst retirement rumors.
If the Chiefs don’t resign any of their free-agent pass catchers, Samuel could add another dynamic to the offense, considering he poses a threat as both a receiver and runner.
“Go do something on offense that electrifies this unit,” said Darlington on why Samuel might be a good fit for Kansas City.
Samuel wants out of San Francisco, and there might not be a better quarterback to play for in the NFL than Mahomes. A trio of Worthy, Rice, and Samuel is explosive, dynamic, and flat-out fast. If Kelce returns and Mahomes plays as he has throughout his career, the Chiefs should be looking at another potential Super Bowl appearance.
Samuel’s price might render this potential acquisition unrealistic. It’s a question of what a 29-year-old Samuel would require to obtain his services. But after a tough loss in the Super Bowl, the Chiefs might be eager to improve no matter the cost.
Samuel’s Trade Request and Performance
Earlier this offseason, Samuel decided it was time to seek a trade out of San Francisco. He has seen his performance decline since his career year in 2021, when he was a first-team All-Pro with 1,770 scrimmage yards and 14 touchdowns. He’s subsequently exceeded 1,000 scrimmage yards just once in the last three seasons.
Teammate Brandon Aiyuk has taken over the role as the 49ers’ No. 1 target, while Samuel’s target count has declined each year since 2021. Aiyuk posted 1,000-yard seasons in both 2022 and 2023 before suffering a season-ending injury in 2024. Aiyuk’s emergence and Samuel’s decline in production and opportunities led to the latter’s trade request.
The Chiefs are an interesting situation, because Samuel would be sharing targets among quite a few options. But, Mahomes certainly has proven capable of finding ways to get the ball to multiple playmakers, which could make Samuel a home-run acquisition for the defending AFC champions.