Remember when the Kansas City Chiefs dominated the passing game? Those days feel distant. The team that boasted a top-6 passing offense every year since 2018 has hit a wall. 6 games into 2024, Patrick Mahomes has thrown more interceptions (8) than touchdowns (6). The last time anyone saw such numbers from him was… never.

The Chiefs pulled the trigger on a trade for DeAndre Hopkins from Tennessee, sending a conditional fifth-round pick that could bump to a fourth if Hopkins plays 60% of offensive snaps. The Titans sweetened the deal by covering roughly half of Hopkins’ remaining salary. While former NFL star Rodney Harrison called it a “home run,” the Chiefs’ front office appears far from satisfied with just this move.

NFL Insider Tom Pelissero dropped a bombshell on The Rich Eisen Show on Saturday. “The Chiefs definitely they’re going to continue to be in the market,” he revealed, but added, “… if it makes sense for them. They’re not gonna go out an blow all their future draft picks. But if there’s something that makes sense, of course [they will]. Brett Veach (general manager) has shown that over the course of time that he’s willing to do it.”

The $26 million trade deal sent Hopkins to Kansas City, giving the Titans a conditional fourth-round draft pick. Moreover, Tennessee will also cover almost half of Hopkins’ $8 million salary, which was crucial for the Chiefs. That said, Tom Pelissero added, “Another corner would be a potential thing that the Chiefs could target. They could probably use, at minimum, some depth at that position.” The possibility of adding another corner to fill the L’Jarius Sneed void or even another receiver remains on the table. This will beef up Patrick Mahomes’ side.

The stats tell the story of Kansas City‘s offensive struggles. Once a passing juggernaut under Andy Reid, they’ve tumbled to 12th in passing yards (221.5 per game). The injury bug hit harder than a linebacker – Rashee Rice’s knee surgery ended his season, Marquise Brown’s shoulder gave way, and JuJu Smith-Schuster’s hamstring kept him sidelined. Adding to their woes, starting running back Isiah Pacheco has been out since Week 3 with a broken fibula.

Considering the current state of the Chiefs’ roster when it comes to their wide receivers (with Skyy Moore on injury reserve, too), Pelissero surmised that Brett Veach could make another move. “Depending on what keeps happening with their wide receivers, could they go on and add another wide receiver? I don’t know that it’s gonna be another big-name type of a guy. But in terms of their injuries, [adding another wide receiver] wouldn’t surprise me,” the insider said.

After trading for Hopkins, the Chiefs were in a tight spot with their cap space, which made many believe that he would be the final piece to solving Kansas City’s tricky puzzle at the moment. But as Pelissero suggested, Brett Veach could look to improve the depth of the squad, and it turns out the team has made certain adjustments to make that happen.

The front office restructured offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor’s contract by converting his salary into a signing bonus, creating $5.3 million in cap space for this season. That said, Hopkins arrives with a $26 million contract and a mixed bag in 2024. His Tennessee numbers won’t wow anyone – 15 catches, 173 yards, one touchdown in six games. His longest reception? Just 23 yards. But a peek at his career stats: 943 receptions, 12,528 yards, 79 touchdowns, with an impressive 5.6 catches per game average.

The Chiefs need that version of Hopkins, especially after the Raiders handed them their last defeat, a 20-14 loss at Arrowhead on Christmas Day last year. Meanwhile, Rodney Harrison sees magic brewing in Kansas City.

Hopkins’ impact could spark Mahomes & Chiefs’ offensive revival

“DeAndre Hopkins, he’s gonna get a chance to play with a real quarterback,” Harrison beamed on ‘NFL on NBC’ on Saturday. “In Andy Reid’s offense, it’s about creating mismatches and confusion… now they get an automatic number 1.”

Reid’s not waiting around. Despite Hopkins joining mid-week, the coach confirmed he’ll “probably” suit up Sunday against those same Raiders. Talk about throwing him into the fire. The timing couldn’t be better – the Chiefs stand as the NFL’s last unbeaten team at 6-0. However, they’ll miss defensive end Mike Danna, who’s still recovering from a pectoral injury.

The veteran’s durability raises eyebrows. His history includes hamstring issues, a sprained ankle, and wrist surgery. A torn ligament in his knee during the offseason might explain his slow start in 2024. But Harrison believes Hopkins’ talent transcends these concerns: “Even if he’s covered, he’s really not covered because he has such a long catch radius.”

For defenses, DeAndre Hopkins creates a pick-your-poison scenario. “In the red zone, you start thinking about how do you take away DeAndre Hopkins, and now that opens up Travis Kelce,” Harrison explained. His playoff experience adds another layer – 37 catches for 446 yards and a touchdown across six postseason games. At age 32, Hopkins isn’t just adding depth – he’s bringing 12 years of Pro Bowl experience and four 100+ reception seasons to a receiving corps desperate for reliability.

The Chiefs have all fingers crossed for the addition of Hopkins to work well with Patrick Mahomes.