- Oct 16, 2026
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SportsMafia Wire graphic. Photo: Anthony Quintano from Hillsborough, NJ, United States via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Team logos via ESPN.
The Kansas City Chiefs, off to a 5-0 start in 2026, may seek receiver help before the Nov. 10 trade deadline as injuries have depleted their pass-catching group.
Kansas City became the first team since the 2019 San Francisco 49ers to open 5-0 after an 11-loss season, having gone 6-11 in 2025. Running back Kenneth Walker III has powered the surge with 665 rushing yards in his first five games with the club, the most in NFL history. Quarterback Russell Wilson noted the Chiefs now have "the all-star running back in the backfield, Ken Walker, which we've never had before."
The receiving corps has lagged. Travis Kelce leads the team with 299 yards, ranking 35th in the NFL. Tyquan Thornton has 219 yards but a serious ankle injury. Xavier Worthy has 206 yards, tied for 76th. Rashee Rice has 13 catches for 190 yards and one touchdown across four games while dealing with a hamstring issue.
New York Jets wideout Garrett Wilson has emerged as a possible target. He has 418 receiving yards, ranked 14th entering Week 7, and became the fifth player in NFL history with 80-plus catches and 1,000-plus yards in each of his first three seasons. But Wilson carries a four-year, $130 million extension with $90 million guaranteed signed 15 months ago. His cap hit is $23.3 million in 2027 and exceeds $35 million from 2028-2030.
The Chiefs have only $2.2 million in cap space, 29th in the NFL, and project nearly $12 million over the cap in 2027. The Jets would take a $31.2 million dead cap hit by trading Wilson and lose $21.2 million in savings. Cheaper options include Brian Thomas Jr., Jauan Jennings and Jerry Jeudy.
Source: CBS Sports - Fri Oct 23, 7:44 AM ET
Written by the SportsMafia Wire desk in our own words from the original reporting (AI-assisted, checked against the source).