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GLENDALE, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 15: Kendrick Bourne #84 of the New England Patriots celebrates a long reception in the fourth quarter of the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
The Kansas City Chiefs have a lot of depth at the receiver position, but after Friday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, the Chiefs are being urged to sign a veteran.
Early in the first quarter, the Chiefs took a potentially significant hit when Xavier Worthy collided with star tight end Travis Kelce and immediately exited the game with a shoulder injury.
Kansas City quickly ruled Worthy out for the remainder of the contest.
The Chiefs haven’t provided an update on Worthy’s status on Saturday. If he ends up missing significant time, the Chiefs may need to explore a potential replacement.
GettyGLENDALE, ARIZONA – AUGUST 09: Wide receiver Xavier Worthy #1 of the Kansas City Chiefs watches from the sidelines during the second quarter of the NFL Preseason 2025 game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on August 09, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Chiefs Could Sign Veteran Kendrick Bourne
Evan Massey with Newsweek suggests the Chiefs should sign 30-year-old Kendrick Bourne, who was recently released by the New England Patriots.
Bourne spent the last four seasons with New England. He has had several visits since entering free agency but has not signed with a team yet.
Last season with the Patriots, Bourne struggled, dealing with an early injury and never finding a consistent role.
GettyGLENDALE, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 15: Kendrick Bourne #84 of the New England Patriots makes a diving catch over the defense of Starling Thomas V #24 of the Arizona Cardinals in the fourth quarter of the game at State Farm Stadium on December 15, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
In 12 games with New England, Bourne caught 28 passes for 305 yards and one touchdown. In 2023, he appeared in eight games, recording 37 receptions for 406 yards and four scores.
Over his NFL career, Bourne has played in 111 games, totaling 292 receptions for 3,714 yards and 22 touchdowns. While the numbers aren’t eye-popping, he could still provide a valuable boost for Kansas City, Massey said.
“Playing alongside a quarterback like Mahomes is a big help for any wide receiver,” Massey wrote. “For Bourne, it could be exactly what he needs to have a breakout season and get his career back on track after a couple of disappointing seasons with the Patriots.”
The Chiefs Have A Lot of Receivers But Suspensions and Injuries
The Chiefs have eight receivers on the roster: Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jalen Royals, Tyquan Thornton, Nikko Remigio and Jason Brownlee.
Rice is suspended the first six games of the season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Rice, 25, was involved in a multi-vehicle crash in Dallas in March 2024 and fled the scene of the six-car pileup. He later accepted a plea deal that includes five years of probation and 30 days in jail, according to the Kansas City Star.
Royals was ruled out of the Week 1 game with a knee injury, while Worthy injured his shoulder during the game.
Brown, who was coming off a foot-ankle injury, performed well in the opener. He had 10 catches for 99 yards and was targeted 16 times.
Smith-Schuster had five catches for 55 yards, while Kelce grabbed two receptions for 47 yards and touchdown. Lastly, Thornton had two catches for 41 yards.
Next week is a rematch of Super Bowl 59 as the Chiefs welcome the Philadelphia Eagles to Arrowhead.
Drake Bentley is an award-winning investigative journalist and breaking news reporter for Heavy, covering football, basketball, and legal affairs. He’s covered the NBA Finals, NFL Draft, and major trending stories since 2019. More about Drake Bentley
