Following Rashee Rice’s knee injury, the Kansas City Chiefs may be looking for a free-agent receiver to replace him. An MRI confirmed that the team’s leading receiver avoided an ACL tear against the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday. He is now expected to return at some point later in the season.
Since Rice’s injury isn’t season-ending, a blockbuster trade isn’t likely in Kanas City’s future. However, the Chiefs could get short-term help from a free-agent receiver. A former top-five pick looking to make his return to the NFL may be the perfect fit.
Should Chiefs Sign Free Agent Receiver Corey Davis?
Corey Davis is one of the top free-agent receivers currently on the market. The 29-year-old veteran hasn’t played football since 2022 after a brief retirement. He was reinstated in August but was released by the New York Jets and remains a free agent.
Davis came into the league as the fifth overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. He played his first four seasons with the Tennessee Titans, showing great potential and steady growth each year. In 2020 he posted career highs in receptions (65), yards (984), and touchdowns (5). The strong season earned Davis a spot on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2021 list.
Jets Struggles and Temporary Retirement
The promising receiver then signed a free-agent deal with the Jets in 2021. But his two seasons in New York were plagued by injuries and poor quarterback play. Davis’ numbers dropped severely and he failed to play a full season with the Jets before announcing that he would be taking a break from football.
The Jets decided not to bring Davis back after his reinstatement. As one of the top remaining free agents, the receiver could be exactly what the Chiefs are looking for following Rashee Rice’s injury. Davis can step in and fill the possession receiver role for Patrick Mahomes, and is a great red zone target at 6’3″.
There are concerns with the drop-off in production after Corey Davis signed with the Jets. Aside from dealing with injuries, Davis played with less-than-stellar quarterbacks in New York. He caught passes from Zach Wilson and Mike White, neither of whom have starting jobs in today’s NFL.
A Win-Win Situation for Corey Davis and the Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes would be far and away the best quarterback Corey Davis has ever played with. Furthermore, we’ve seen Mahomes resurrect the careers of forgotten receivers before. He did so with Sammy Wakins at the start of his career along with Juju Smith-Schuster and Kadarius Toney more recently.
If Rashee Rice were to return later in the season, the Chiefs would then have Corey Davis as a #2 receiver on the outside. This would allow them to use rookie Xavier Worthy more in the slot where he can better utilize his speed and explosiveness. Adding free agent Corey Davis to the Chiefs receiver room is a perfect solution for everyone involved.
Next up for Kansas City is a home tilt against the New Orleans Saints. The Chiefs will go into the Monday Night matchup with Xavier Worthy being the only receiver with 100 or more yards this season. The game will show if Mahomes can make do with his current weapons or if help needs to be brought in for Week 6.
Main Image: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
