The Kansas City Chiefs swung a trade to reacquire former second-round pick Mecole Hardman after he signed with the New York Jets this past offseason. But, with their receiving corps still thin, they could stand to add another proven pass-catcher to the room
And the option – Chicago Bears (2-5) wide receiver Darnell Mooney – could be available for a modest cost.
“The Chiefs may not want to part with any additional draft picks, but adding Mooney would be intriguing,” wrote Gilberto Manzano and Matt Verderame of Sports Illustrated on October 26. “Mooney would fit the bill in multiple ways. He’s familiar with the offense, having spent two years under former Bears coach and current Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy.”
Chiefs Urged to Trade for Bears’ Darnell Mooney
Bears WR an ‘Intriguing’ Trade Target for Chiefs
Mooney, 25, had his best season under Nagy in 2021. The former fifth-round pick out of Tulane recorded 1,055 yards and four touchdowns on 81 receptions as the Bears’ No. 1 wideout. This season, Mooney has 14 catches for 184 yards and one score. He is also in the final year of his rookie contract.
.@justnfields hits @Darnell_M1 for 6 🎯
📺: #GBvsCHI on FOX pic.twitter.com/Cii1xYTRxh
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 10, 2023
“He would also get a huge upgrade at quarterback, jumping from Justin Fields to Patrick Mahomes,” the SI staff wrote. “Perhaps he could get back to his 2021 form.”
Chiefs Wide Receiver Room Unproven
The Chiefs’ top wideout in terms of yards is rookie Rashee Rice with 305 yards on 26 grabs in 34 targets. As long as Kansas City has tight end Travis Kelce and a healthy Mahomes, they can convince themselves they have enough.
But last season’s Super Bowl-winning squad was able to coax a 1,000-yard season out of JuJu Smith-Schuster (933, to be exact). At the current rate, even Rice’s production would have put him on pace to fall somewhere between Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling who has never been much more than an occasional deep threat.
5 Sure-Handed Wide Receivers the Chiefs Should Target in a Trade
Still, Rice is trending in the right direction. And Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore are both young enough that they can still improve. The NFL season waits for no one, though, and the Chiefs are running a risk as things stand.
Chiefs Perched Atop NFL Moutnatintop
Another reason the Chiefs could opt to pass on adding another pass-catcher is, at 5-1 on the season, they are atop the NFL’s food chain and looking like the team to beat for the Super Bowl, warts and all.
Again, that points to the consistency of Mahomes and his mind-meld with Kelce.
But, as the Chiefs found out in the regular-season opener, it only takes an injury to him for their entire operation to come down several pegs.
That would be enough impetus to spark change for most teams and front offices. But the Chiefs have been judicious in their dealings right on down to their players like Chris Jones whose contract holdout bled into the season. It’s a risky stance but one they can afford to take as the NFL’s October 31 trade deadline draws closer by the day.
What will they do: make a move or stand pat (no pun intended) and ride it out?
Main Photo: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
