What’s a loaded team to do at the NFL’s trade deadline? For contenders like the Kansas City Chiefs, the midseason deadline is a time add another piece or two to complete the puzzle. However, it’s also a point where some teams will deal from a well-stocked cupboard in order to recoup some value elsewhere, even if that’s future draft choices.

The Chiefs look like they have a particularly loaded position at wide receiver. Xavier Worthy’s return from injury and Rashee Rice’s return from suspension have the Chiefs rolling on offense at the present time—with an average of over 31 points scored in their last five games. Together with Travis Kelce, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Hollywood Brown, Kansas City has a nice array of weapons for Patrick Mahomes.

However, that list is not comprehensive, which is why the Chiefs look particularly stocked at wide receiver. Rookie fourth-rounder Jalen Royals is waiting in the wings for a chance to show what he can do. Nikko Remigio can be a useful part as well, aside from his primary role as returner. And then there’s preseason sensation Tyquan Thornton, who went from roster flyer to trusted target in under a year.

Tyquan Thornton is no less important to the Chiefs now than he was at the beginning of the season.

So far this season, Thornton has 311 yards and 3 touchdowns for Kansas City in a half-season. Those totals already eclipse even the most optimistic preseason projections for a player who was labeled a bust in New England. The former second-round pick didn’t even last the length of his rookie deal, so it’s quite shocking for Patriots fans that the Chiefs found any value in him at all.

But those totals don’t tell the whole story of Thornton’s value, because he’s only caught a single pass between his last three games. Despite being healthy, Rice’s presence has rendered Thornton obsolete in the Chiefs’ offense, a depth chart too packed to climb even if he wanted to.

Thornton had 13 catches for 272 yards and 3 touchdowns in his first five appearances with the Chiefs. While the rest of the Chiefs’ offense sputtered at the start of the 2025 campaign, Thornton’s emergence was the primary life raft keeping the offense afloat for Mahomes. Over a 17-game season, Thornton’s early-season averages would have totaled 55 catches for 925 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.

In his last three games, Thornton has 1 catch for 39 yards. That’s it. That’s not a referendum on his talent, his work ethic, or his usefulness. It’s just the state of things for the Chiefs offense. Even without Thornton, Kansas City’s weapons are commonly asked about having to share a single football among the lot of them.

All this makes it natural to ask if the Chiefs should share from their embarrassment of riches at the position. Certainly, if some team can make use of a player who’s not earning any playing time, it’s possible the Chiefs could shore up another area of concern—from defensive tackle to running back to edge rusher. That’s why questions like this are popping up on social media.

At this point, however, it’s important to remember the notion that the NFL stands for Not For Long. What was once plentiful can (and often will) become scarce. Just one year ago, the Chiefs tried four different starters at left tackle. Attrition is a very real thing over the course of a 17-game season (or more).

The Chiefs know this first-hand at the exact position being discussed. Hollywood Brown’s injury history is well-documented. Rashee Rice hadn’t played an NFL game in well over a year when he came back in Week 7. Xavier Worthy has already missed 3 games in 2025. JuJu Smith-Schuster has played two full seasons in the last seven years.

Just a month ago, Thornton carried the Chiefs offense. Now he’s buried within it. But things have a way of cycling back around, and just because he’s lacking targets at the present time doesn’t mean his value has in any way diminished for Kansas City. Thornton is still trusted. Thornton is still important.

Trading Thornton at the deadline is a roll of the dice, a move that could easily look short-sighted with a single injury. The best-case scenario is that it could help the roster in another place or time, but it’s also possible it could cripple an offense that looks ready for another deep postseason run.