With the loss of Tyreek Hill via trade and an influx of draft picks, the Chiefs seemed poised to make a big move in the trade market
It’s no secret that Veach has been searching for an elite WR since the departure of Tyreek Hill, and with a plethora of draft capital, and the will to move it, there’s no doubt in my mind that a Veach will be making a blockbuster trade for an elite WR before the draft. The question is: who does Veach have his eye on? With the clear offseason game plan being “get younger by any means possible”, Veach is probably focused on a younger, talented WR on a cheap/rookie deal. With that in mind, let’s look at some of the most likely draft targets our young GM has “checked in on”.
Terry McLaurin (Commanders)
Terry in this offense would be more than “scary”. Imagine this 6′, 210lb MONSTER catching passes from PATRICK FREAKING MAHOMES instead of a Carson Wentz or Taylor Heinicke. Hell, he’s put up almost 3100 yards in his first 3 seasons as the only elite player on a bad Commanders defense. McLaurin in this offense would FEAST as the number 1 option. He’s a proven player, and more importantly, still on his rookie contract. This would give Veach the opportunity to structure his impending contract extension any way he wanted and would give the Chiefs a year to let the WR market calm down. Terry is also extremely versatile, taking reps from the X, Y, and Z positions. Using a 1st round pick to trade for a young, versatile, cheap WR (from the NFC) would be an amazing addition to the offense and would not only allow the Chiefs to focus their top picks on the defense side of the ball, but it would also allow them to make the transition to a “Hill-less” offense a bit easier for Mahomes.
D.J. Moore (Panthers)
Moore has been nothing less than sensational his first 4 years in the league, posting over 1150 yards in each of his last 3 seasons, and he’s done so with guys like Cam Newton and Sam Darnold throwing him the ball. I don’t think that a 1500 yard season would be out of the question with Patrick “The Reaper” Mahomes as his QB. His elite quickness and route-running ability make him the perfect player to come in and change the pace of this Chiefs offense. It’s obvious that the Chiefs will not be able to find a guy like Tyreek that can come in and replace what he brings to an offense, but bringing in pieces that can change how Andy Reid can attack opposing defenses will reduce the Chiefs’ predictability. Thereby, maintaining the success they’ve maintained over the past few years. In football terms, Moore is an incredible WR that would change how Reid could threaten different defenses. Oh, and his cap hit in 2022 is only $6 million. Meaning that they could afford to trade for him and sign/trade for Gilmore/Bradberry, and make any other moves they feel could be necessary, without restructuring anyone else’s contract and “kicking the can further down the road”.
A.J. Brown (Tennessee)
Keep in mind this would require the Titans to trade Brown within the conference and admit they will probably not be contenders in 2022, but a trade for AJ Brown makes a lot of sense for both teams. The Titans need extra draft capital in order to fill some of the huge holes on their roster and the Chiefs have multiple draft picks in the upcoming draft. The only problem would be the cap situation. As reported, Brown is looking for a contract extension somewhere in the neighborhood of $25 million per year. Unfortunately, however, this is the current going rate for top-level WR talent in the NFL. No matter who the Chiefs get, they are going to have to pay them around this rate. Outside of the money, Brown is a STUD and would be a perfect fit in this offense. His athleticism and physicality throughout his routes would provide Mahomes with another (much needed) reliable weapon outside of Kelce.
