There have been many trades that shocked the NFL world so far during the 2022 offseason. The latest involved star Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill.
Kansas City and Hill were working on a potential contract extension when talks reportedly stalled. As a result, the Chiefs agreed to trade Hill to the Dolphins in exchange for five draft picks. Miami, in turn, made Hill the NFL's highest-paid receiver.
MORE: Full details of the Dolphins' trade for Tyreek Hill
The Chiefs got a lot in return for Hill, but they now have major questions at receiver. Their top options at the position are currently JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman. And thanks to the departures of Hill, Demarcus Robinson and Byron Pringle, three of the Chiefs' top-four receivers from 2022 are no longer with the team.
So, what does Kansas City do next? It'll have to look to not only replace Hill but also to add more depth to their receiving corps. Otherwise, Patrick Mahomes will be asked to do a lot to carry the Chiefs' offense in 2022.
Luckily for the Chiefs, there are still plenty of quality receivers they can pursue in free agency and via the 2022 NFL Draft, which has numerous high-level receiver prospects. Below is a run-down of the 10 best options they can add.
TRADE GRADES: Why the Dolphins won the Tyreek Hill trade, but not in slam-dunk fashion
Chiefs' best options to replace Tyreek Hill
1. Trade up for Chris Olave
Olave would be a plug-and-play starter for the Chiefs. The Ohio State product was one of the smoothest route runners in college football last season and racked up 65 catches for 936 yards and 13 touchdowns during his final season with the Buckeyes. He has a productive track record with three different quarterbacks, so he shouldn't take long to develop chemistry with Mahomes.
Olave (6-1) clocked a 4.39 40-yard-dash during the 2022 NFL Combine. His combination of solid size, great speed and consistent production will make him a likely top-20 pick. The Chiefs should consider moving up to get him with their newfound draft capital, as he looks like a true No. 1 receiver.
2. Trade up for Jameson Williams
If the Chiefs are considering trading up for a receiver, Williams would make a lot of sense as well. He is another former Ohio State receiver, but he made his name at Alabama, where he became the Crimson Tide's No. 1 receiver.
Williams (6-2) posted monster numbers in his lone season at Alabama. He totaled 1,572 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns on 79 catches and was in the running to be the first receiver selected in the 2022 NFL Draft before tearing his ACL against Georgia in the College Football Playoff.
Like Hill, Williams has game-breaking speed, and he certainly would have run clock a 40-time in the 4.2 or 4.3 range at the combine had he been able to participate. Kansas City could make a like-for-like swap in acquiring Williams. They may have to trade up to get him, but it's possible that he could slip because of his knee injury.
3. Draft Jahan Dotson
If the Chiefs want speed at receiver but aren't willing to trade up, Dotson would be a nice compromise. The former Penn State speedster had 1,200 scrimmage yards in his last year with the school and racked up 13 total touchdowns on 99 touches (91 receptions, eight rushes).
Dotson (5-11) didn't test quite as fast as many expected at the combine, running a 4.43 40-yard dash. However, his speed is apparent on tape and he can take the top off a defense. His movement skills are excellent, too, so perhaps he could emulate some of Hill's elusiveness in open space.
MORE: Breaking down Tyreek Hill's new contract with the Dolphins
4. Sign Odell Beckham Jr.
Beckham would be a nice boom-or-bust signing for the Chiefs. The 29-year-old revitalized his career during his time with the Rams, as he posted 48 catches for 593 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games, including the postseason.
Beckham suffered a torn ACL in the Super Bowl and it's unclear when he might be able to play in 2022. That said, the Chiefs should still consider targeting him, as he will come cheap and could be a key piece for a stretch run. They would need to add more than just Beckham to the fold given that he may not be ready to start the season, but he's still a high-quality option.
5. Sign Marquez Valdes-Scantling
The Chiefs are set to host Marquez Valdes-Scantling on a visit Wednesday, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. MVS has a 6-4 frame and great speed, as he blazed a 4.37-second 40-yard dash during the 2018 NFL Combine.
Valdes-Scantling hasn't been a big-time producer during his career — he averaged 35 catches, 620 yards and four touchdowns per 17 games played in four years with the Packers — but he led the NFL in yards per catch during the 2020 season at 20.9. He's just 27, so he still has upside and could be a nice target for Mahomes.
6. Draft Treylon Burks
It remains possible that the Chiefs will replace Hill with an entirely different type of receiver, like Treylon Burks. The Arkansas product doesn't have top-end straight-line speed — he ran just a 4.55 40-yard dash at the combine — but he is plenty quick enough to beat defenders and make men miss.
Burks (6-3) played a Deebo Samuel-like role for the Razorbacks in 2021. He caught 66 passes for 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns while adding 112 rushing yards and a score on the ground. Kansas City could use him in a similar capacity, and while he won't have the same game-breaking speed as Hill, his combination of size, strength and quickness in space will allow him to keep the chains moving.
NFL MOCK DRAFT: How Tyreek Hill trade impacts 2022 NFL Draft
7. Sign Julio Jones
Nothing was pretty about Jones' lone season with the Titans. He dealt with nagging hamstring injuries all season long and posted career lows in most major categories including catches (31), receiving yards (434) and touchdowns (one).
Still, Jones has a track record of high-level performance. He is 6-3 and once had high-end speed. So, taking a flier on Jones would certainly be a good move for Kansas City. They could pair the two-time AP All-Pro with a young draft pick and hope that history of leg injuries haven't sapped his speed. He's 33, so he might not be able to stay healthy, but why not at least find out what he can do?
8. Sign Will Fuller
Fuller has had a frustrating career to date. He has never played in more than 14 games in a season and he has missed at least five games in each of the last five years due to injuries and suspensions.
That said, when he has been on the field, Fuller has been a great deep threat. He has a career average of 14.7 yards per catch and set career-high marks in 2020 with 53 catches, 879 yards and eight touchdowns in 11 games before being suspended for violating the NFL's PED policy.
Fuller, 28 in April, couldn't stay healthy in Miami and played just one game there. If he can get back to the form he showed in his final season with the Texans though, he could turn into a free-agent steal. The Chiefs could certainly do worse than Fuller as a deep-threat replacement for Hill, though his injury history is concerning.
9. Draft Christian Watson
If the Chiefs want to swing for the fences, Watson would be an excellent gamble. He was a star at the FCS level, playing with North Dakota State and posting 800 yards and seven touchdowns on 43 catches during his senior season.
Watson has 6-4 size yet posted a 4.36 in the 40-yard dash at the combine. He looked smooth in the drills there and helped to set his stock on fire. He has been rising during the draft process and could go higher than most think, so don't be surprised if Kansas City considers him in the late-first or early-second round.
10. Sign Sammy Watkins
Watkins played with the Chiefs from 2018 through 2020 and posted some solid outings for the team. His numbers were never spectacular and he had some injury concerns, but the team missed him after his departure in 2021. They never found a true No. 2 receiver to use across from Hill.
With Hill gone, as well as Byron Pringle and Demarcus Robinson, the team is short on depth and experience in the system. Watkins would provide the team with that. He's not a sexy pickup, but pairing him with a rookie, another veteran or both would go a long way toward ensuring that Mahomes has enough weapons with which to work in 2022.
