The Kansas City Chiefs have joined the trade party with a blockbuster deal.
As defending Super Bowl champions chasing a historic three-peat, they started the new season with one of the strongest rosters in the NFL, but injuries have left a gaping hole.
The Chiefs are moving to ease Mahomes struggles as they chase a third-straight Super Bowl
Yes, they are 6-0 this season – and the last undefeated team standing – but that won’t stop them making moves.
Kansas City have a need at wide receiver after Rashee Rice suffered a knee injury in Week 4 that required season-ending surgery.
That happened after Marquise “Hollywood” Brown was lost to a shoulder injury in preseason and was placed on injured reserve.
JuJu Smith-Schuster, meanwhile, left the game against the San Francisco 49ers last week with a hamstring issue that has already ruled him out for Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Injuries have left the Chiefs receiver room in a tough spot, and Patrick Mahomes – who leads the league in interceptions with 8 alongside Jordan Love and Gardner Minshew – has been leaning on rookie Xavier Worthy, as well as Justin Watson, Mecole Hardman, and Skyy Moore in recent weeks.
But Kansas City’s woes might be about to be solved with a proven performer.
According to reports from NFL insiders Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport, the team are finalizing a deal with the Tennessee Titans to acquire star receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
The deal is for a fifth-round pick that can become a fourth-rounder, and the Titans are expected to eat some of the salary.
Adding the five-time Pro Bowler will be a massive move for the undefeated Chiefs as they chase a third consecutive Super Bowl.
Hopkins, a 12-year veteran, started the season slowly coming off an injury of his own, but has already proved he is still a threat in one-on-one match-ups.
Hopkins is heading to Kansas City in a blockbuster tradeGetty
The 32-year-old has a touchdown and 173 yards to his name in Tennessee so far this season and would expect to slot into the Chiefs offense with ease.
Back in 2023, Travis Kelce described Hopkins as “one of the best players in the NFL”.
“I would love to see him in a Chiefs uniform,” Kelce said at the time, after the WR was released by the Arizona Cardinals.
“He’s one of the best players in the National Football League everytime he puts the helmet on.”
Kelce, then, finally gets his wish as he prepares to link up with Hopkins.
Before news of the trade broke, there was chatter around another star wide receiver, Cooper Kupp.
Over the weekend, reports suggested that teams have been calling the Los Angeles Rams inquiring about Kupp and since then, the rumor mill has been in full swing.
Kupp, who won Super Bowl LVI with the Rams, could also be on the moveGetty
The Chiefs were said to be on red alert for Kupp before settling on Hopkins, while the Philadelphia Eagles are said to be a sleeper team, with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers also linked.
Kupp himself, though, is not bothered by the noise around him as he sets his focus on a return from injury on Thursday night against the Minnesota Vikings.
“It is that time of year. There’s going to be rumors and things that go around. I let that stuff, as much as I can, be in the background,” he said.
“I have a job to do here, and I take a lot of pride in giving everything I can for the guys in this building in being able to step on the field knowing I have prepared the best I can.
“For seven and a half years, I’ve been an LA Ram, and I have taken that approach every single day. Whatever happens outside of that, I got to control what I can control. Right now, that means being the best LA Ram I can be.”
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