{"id":894663,"date":"2026-05-18T14:33:30","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T14:33:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/894663\/"},"modified":"2026-05-18T14:33:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T14:33:30","slug":"3-free-agents-chiefs-could-sign-to-raise-the-floor-of-receiving-corps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/894663\/","title":{"rendered":"3 free agents Chiefs could sign to raise the floor of receiving corps"},"content":{"rendered":"

When thinking through the top 5 holes<\/a> remaining on the Kansas City Chiefs<\/a>\u2019 roster last week, Arrowhead Pride analyst Nate Christensen led off the list with the wide receiver position, specifically a wideout who can win on the outside, a \u201cboundary receiver.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a need that highlights the strengths of the team\u2019s current receivers. Rashee Rice has proven to be a worthwhile high-volume weapon at his best from the slot. Xavier Worthy has the game-breaking speed that Kansas City should maximize with catch-and-run, crossing routes out of the slot.<\/p>\n

Tyquan Thornton is a true boundary receiver, but his strengths as a downfield route runner make him best suited as a fourth complement to the three starters, similar to former Chiefs wideout Justin Watson in 2022-2024.<\/p>\n

The organization could certainly believe in Thornton\u2019s ascension as a true \u201cstarter,\u201d potentially more confident in the coaching staff\u2019s ability to develop his skills to be a bigger factor on other routes, to the sideline and over the middle.<\/p>\n

The belief in Kansas City\u2019s internal options could also extend to the two most recent draft picks at the position. Last year\u2019s fourth-round pick, Jalen Royals, was a boundary-dominant receiver at Utah State and could showcase that moving forward. This year\u2019s fifth-round pick, Cyrus Allen, is coming off a season playing nearly exclusively in the slot at Cincinnati, so Royals could keep an edge on the newcomer by proving his ability to line up at X-receiver, beat press-man coverage and make plays after the catch on slant routes, out routes and other quick hitters.<\/p>\n

All that said, if the team values an immediate \u201cstarter\u201d that can line up on the boundary and get open against man coverage, there are options in free agency. Before the three free agents who could raise the floor of the Chiefs\u2019 starting rotation in 2026, we\u2019ll eliminate a notable name from consideration:<\/p>\n

Unlikely to fit the role: Deebo Samuel<\/p>\n

The former offensive weapon for the San Francisco 49ers<\/a> is still available, and sounds intriguing on the surface, but would be too redundant of the skills Rice brings to the table in Kansas City. The two are unique players in the sense that an offense can\u2019t (or shouldn\u2019t try to) feature both at the same time.<\/p>\n

\"KANSAS<\/a><\/p>\n

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – DECEMBER 10: Stefon Diggs #14 of the Buffalo Bills looks on during pregame warmups before an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on December 10, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ryan Kang\/Getty Images) Getty Images<\/p>\n

Over the last two seasons, playing for the New England Patriots<\/a> and Houston Texans<\/a>, Diggs has aligned in the slot on the majority of his snaps, marking the first time since 2016 he was not primarily out wide, according to Pro Football Focus.<\/p>\n

The transition is likely out of age. If the 32-year-old \u201clost a step\u201d at all, it would become harder for him to win as the boundary receiver, but he still offers zone-beating savvy and is a strong, reliable receiver in contested situations, whether a jump ball or in stride with a defender draped over him.<\/p>\n

He will be best in a situation with more snap slots available, and one that values yards-after-catch ability less than the Chiefs. That said, if both sides are interested, he would certainly boost the Chiefs\u2019 pass game instantly.<\/p>\n

His projected salary is nearly $14 million<\/a>, per Spotrac.<\/p>\n

\"Oct<\/a><\/p>\n

Oct 22, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) runs with the ball during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

With more than a decade of familiarity as a rival, the all-time Los Angeles Chargers<\/a> wide receiver proved he still has what a team like Kansas City is looking for in a veteran starter out wide, despite turning 34 years old last month.<\/p>\n

He was thrown to 122 times while playing all 17 games, catching 81 passes for 777 yards and four touchdowns<\/a>. He lined up out wide on 59% of pass plays, which bucked the trend of his career as one of the league\u2019s toughest coverage assignments out of the slot.<\/p>\n

However, it is worth noting that Allen began his career playing predominantly on the boundary. Over his first three years in the NFL, 80% or more of his pass snaps came with him lined up on the outside in each season. He moved to playing primarily in the slot during the prime of his career, but he was less exclusively in the slot than his perception suggests.<\/p>\n

With his experience as one of the league\u2019s most respected route runners, Allen feels like a worthwhile addition to any NFL team\u2019s receiving corps, but he would absolutely raise the bar for the room in Kansas City.<\/p>\n

Spotrac estimates Allen to demand<\/a> just under $7 million in salary.<\/p>\n

\"FRANKFURT<\/a><\/p>\n

FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY – NOVEMBER 05: Tyreek Hill #10 of the Miami Dolphins interacts with Kansas City Chiefs staff prior to the NFL match between Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs at Deutsche Bank Park on November 05, 2023 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. (Photo by Alex Grimm\/Getty Images) Getty Images<\/p>\n

The possibility of Hill returning to Kansas City is the most likely addition; just a few weeks ago<\/a>, ESPN\u2019s Nate Taylor shared his belief with 96.5 The Fan and went up to 60% when speaking about the chances of it happening.<\/p>\n

If you follow Hill on any social media platform, you also probably feel as if he wants it to happen, although it\u2019s impossible to rule out any \u201ctrolling.\u201d<\/p>\n

The familiarity with the Chiefs\u2019 offense could be a factor in Kansas City\u2019s interest, but Hill is simply the best receiver available, even if he has a severe leg injury to recover from.<\/p>\n

In a world where Hill is dead set on making a comeback to Chiefs Kingdom, he has no reason to rush the rehabilitation process. The team could challenge its young receivers to step up in 2026, and if Hill is only available closer to the playoff stretch, it would still be a worthwhile signing regardless of the timing.<\/p>\n

The estimated salary for Hill is over $15 million, according to Spotrac<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When thinking through the top 5 holes remaining on the Kansas City Chiefs\u2019 roster last week, Arrowhead Pride…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":894664,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2063],"tags":[346,7,118,110,80177,2439,2438,2437,6],"class_list":["post-894663","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-kansas-city-chiefs","tag-chiefs","tag-football","tag-kansas-city","tag-kansas-city-chiefs","tag-kansas-city-chiefs-analysis","tag-kansas-city-chiefs-free-agency","tag-kansascity","tag-kansascitychiefs","tag-nfl"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116596074646167811","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/894663","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=894663"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/894663\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/894664"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=894663"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=894663"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=894663"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}