Kansas City Chiefs fans at Arrowhead Stadium got a long look at Quentin Johnston during Sunday’s 22-6 win over the Chargers. Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame thinks the Chiefs should consider bringing the Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver over to their side of the AFC West. Verderame ranked Johnston No. 13 on his list of players who could be traded by the Nov. 10 deadline and named Kansas City as a potential fit.
Verderame called Johnston “an enticing addition” with 16 touchdowns over the past two seasons, but he also cited “a well-chronicled drops problem.” Johnston has never caught more than 60.7% of his targets in a season, and he has eight catches on 22 targets in five games this year. SI described him as slated for free agency after this season, but the Chargers exercised his fifth-year option in April. That keeps him under contract through 2027, and $18 million is guaranteed for that season.
Why Kansas City needs another receiver
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Kansas City is 5-0, but its receiver room has thinned out. Tyquan Thornton dislocated his left ankle in the Week 4 win in Las Vegas and is expected to miss 12 to 16 weeks. Rashee Rice hurt his hamstring in the same game and was ruled out Sunday. Xavier Worthy stepped up with seven catches for 73 yards against the Chargers, but Travis Kelce still leads the team with 299 receiving yards.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid expects Rice back soon. “He’ll be all right. You never know about (hamstring injuries), but he’s a pretty fast healer,” Reid said, according to Field Level Media.
Johnston would add a downfield option either way. He averaged 15.4 yards per catch with an average depth of target of 14.4 yards through Week 5, though his 55.2 overall grade ranked 81st of 86 wide receivers, according to PFF. His 2026 base salary is $2.68 million, and only the remaining portion would count for a Chiefs team with about $2.2 million in cap space, according to Over the Cap.
A division trade would be unusual, and the 0-6 Chargers are running out of answers at wide receiver after Ladd McConkey suffered a concussion Sunday. For Kansas City, the bigger price may be that $18 million guarantee for a receiver who has caught 57.6% of his career targets.
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