The Chiefs are back in the kind of spot they wanted to be in: unbeaten, in the mix, and staring at a Week 4 matchup with another 3-0 team in the Las Vegas Raiders. Kansas City’s 3-0 start has them looking far more like a contender than they did a year ago, but the next stretch could still sharpen the picture.
If the Chiefs stumble against the Raiders, it won’t erase the contender talk. It would, however, make the need for more help a little harder to ignore. Wide receiver stands out as one of the clearest places Kansas City could look to upgrade.
That’s why ESPN’s Dan Graziano linking the Chiefs to Jacksonville Jaguars Pro Bowl wideout Brian Thomas Jr. makes plenty of sense. It’s not just Kansas City in the mix, either. Graziano also pointed to the San Francisco 49ers and the Raiders as possible teams that could jump into the bidding for BTJ at the trade deadline.
“But the 2024 first-rounder isn't a big part of the Jaguars' offense right now, and there are a lot of teams (Chiefs? 49ers?
Raiders?) looking for difference-makers at wide receiver,” Graziano writes.
Thomas looks like one of the most obvious trade names floating around the 2026 NFL season. Whether the Jaguars want to say it out loud or not, moving him would arguably make the most sense for where they are headed.
Jacksonville has enough at receiver to absorb the loss, with Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, Travis Hunter, and Josh Cameron forming a group that could hold things together if Thomas were dealt. And if the Jaguars do make him available, they’d be positioned to get a solid return.
Kansas City would be a natural fit. The Chiefs have Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy, but there are still questions around both, and adding Thomas would fit the kind of push a team makes in a season where it expects to contend.
The 49ers are in a different kind of bind, but the need is just as real. Injuries have piled up for De'Zhaun Stribling, Ricky Pearsall, Christian Kirk, Demarcus Robinson, and now even Mike Evans, leaving San Francisco in real need of another receiver.
The Raiders could also enter the conversation, though Graziano noted they might prefer to go the draft route and target a younger receiver for more long-term upside.
Even so, the Chiefs and 49ers look like the most obvious competition if Thomas is truly on the block. Kansas City may not be as desperate as San Francisco, but a player like Thomas could be the kind of addition that turns a good offense into a great one. And according to Graziano, the Chiefs may have to beat out the Raiders, the 49ers, and others if they want the Jaguars Pro Bowler this fall.
In Other News...
Travis Hunter Just Got The Kind Of Test Jaguars Fans Feared
Travis Hunters return has already become one of the most closely watched storylines around Jacksonville, and the latest challenge waiting for him is the kind that can sharpen the attention even more. The rookie corner, drafted second overall after winning the Heisman Trophy in 2024, has been working back from a torn LCL while adding muscle, and the Jaguars have had a front-row seat to both the promise and the growing pains that come with his transition to the league.
JaMarr Chase recently offered a brief comment on facing Hunter, a meeting that carries extra weight because Chase has already had a strong day against Jacksonvilles defense before. Hunter has flashed the splash play that made him such a tantalizing prospect, including a notable interception, but he has also run into some coverage issues in a season that has drawn mixed reviews. For the Jaguars, this is the kind of test that can either validate the optimism or remind everyone how steep the learning curve can be. [Read more 🡒]
JaMarr Chases Travis Hunter Response Says Everything Bengals Fans Wanted
Ja'Marr Chase was given a familiar type of question this week, the kind that comes with any matchup against a high-profile defensive back and an even bigger spotlight. This time it was Jacksonville cornerback Travis Hunter, who has added muscle during his recovery from a torn LCL and is still carrying the weight of his lofty reputation as the former Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 overall pick in 2025.
Chase did not offer much in the way of buildup, and the briefness of his answer said plenty about how he views the matchup. For Jaguars fans, Hunters second season has already become a test case, with some wondering whether he can truly develop into the lockdown cornerback they expected, and any meeting with a receiver of Chases caliber only adds to the scrutiny. [Read more 🡒]
Jaguars Suddenly Have A Secondary Problem At The Worst Time
The Jaguars are heading into Week 4 with some real uncertainty in the secondary, and it comes at a bad time with the Bengals on deck. Cornerbacks Montaric Brown and Christian Braswell are both listed as questionable, and each has been limited in practice because of injuries, leaving Jacksonville to sort out how it wants to handle a matchup that could stress the back end of the defense.
Jarrian Jones has already been handling the biggest workload among Jacksonville cornerbacks this season, and that responsibility could grow quickly if Brown and Braswell cannot go. The Jaguars need clarity before kickoff because the corner rotation could end up being a major factor in how well they match up with Cincinnati's receivers. [Read more 🡒]