The Kansas City Chiefs finally addressed their need for a wide receiver, and they did it with a splash. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Chiefs have acquired Pro Bowl wideout DeAndre Hopkins in a trade with the Tennessee Titans.
In order to acquire Hopkins, the Chiefs gave up a conditional fifth-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. The pick can become a fourth-rounder if Kansas City makes it to the Super Bowl, with Hopkins playing at least 60% of the snaps.
Chiefs’ wideout corps has been decimated with injuries even before the 2024 season started. The free-agent signing Marquise “Hollywood” Brown went down with a shoulder injury during the preseason and will miss the regular season with a possibility of returning during the playoffs.
Then in Week 4, Rashee Rice, the team’s No. 1 wide receiver, suffered a knee injury and required surgery that ruled him out for the year. JuJu Smith-Schuster is also out due to a hamstring injury, leaving the Chiefs with rookie Xavier Worthy and veteran Justin Watson as their top options at the position.
The arrival of DeAndre Hopkins now gives Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes a reliable target. Hopkins had a rough start of the season with only 15 catches for 173 yards and a touchdown, but that could be attributed to the sub-par play of the Titans’ quarterbacks. He had 75 catches for 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023.
