The Kansas City Chiefs are 4-0, but they might have to look into getting some help on offense after a pair of injuries on Sunday.
Wide receivers Tyquan Thornton (ankle) and Rashee Rice (hamstring) were forced to exit early in Sunday’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The extent of their injuries is unclear, but the Chiefs could be without them for some time.
If the Chiefs decide to look for a receiver externally, Tyreek Hill, Brian Thomas Jr. and DeAndre Hopkins could be among their top targets.
Hill has not played since last September, when he suffered a gruesome knee injury while playing for the Miami Dolphins. Hill went unsigned this offseason while rehabbing the injury.
Hill has given fans a handful of indications that he’s ready to make a comeback, and he made a post on Sunday that suggested he might be available for the Chiefs.
The Athletic’s Michael Silver noted that Hill is eyeing a November return, adding that Kansas City is expected to be interested in him.
Even if Hill has recovered from the injury, it’s unlikely he’ll still have the same speed and explosiveness he had before. Still, he’s familiar with the Chiefs’ offense since he played alongside Patrick Mahomes for years and could give them some help as they get their top two receivers back on the field.
The Jacksonville Jaguars reportedly turned down offers for Brian Thomas Jr. over the offseason, but they might be willing to revisit some of those trades after the way the season has started.
Through four games, Thomas has recorded just 105 yards and a touchdown on nine receptions. He was the Jags’ top target as a rookie in 2024, but hasn’t been able to match the success from earlier in his career.
Jacksonville has two solid options in Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers, so it could be in a position to get some assets back for Thomas.
While Hopkins is currently serving as an offensive coach for Georgia Tech, he said in August that he has not yet retired. It’s hard to say what would get him to return to the NFL, but the idea of playing for a championship contender would surely excite him.
Like Hill, Hopkins has played with Mahomes before, so it wouldn’t be too hard for him to get acclimated.