Two Top-Tier Free Agent Wide Receivers the Chiefs Should Consider for the 2026 Season

In 2025, the Kansas City Chiefs suffered their worst season in the Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes era. With a 6-11 record, the seven-year streak of going to the AFC Championship was dramatically over, the postseason having been missed by a mile. There were multiple reasons for this dismal showing, but one of them was the performance of the wide receiver room. Not one Chiefs receiver reached 600 yards on the year, with tight end Travis Kelce being the most dominant pass catcher on the field with 851 yards and five touchdowns. Rashee Rice’s six-week suspension to start the season left Xavier Worthy, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Hollywood Brown, and first-year addition from the New England Patriots, Tyquan Thornton, to pick up the slack. Without a strong run game for opposing defenses to worry about, the Chiefs’ inconsistent receiving corps was left with no margin for error.

Of course, that error came on the third play of the first game of the 2025 season against the Los Angeles Chargers when Worthy collided with Kelce on a crossing route, tearing his labrum; along with an ankle injury, the Texas Longhorn was affected throughout the year by injury. With prospective primary ball catcher Rice unavailable right off the bat due to off-the-field misconduct, and the immediate injury to Worthy, the writing may have been on the wall for the Chiefs’ receiver room. With an inability to get separation as well as an inability to beat man coverage, KC finished 22nd in the league in third-down conversions. Injuries and lack of development, specifically for Rice and Worthy, were big factors. So, what can KC do to shore up the receiver position in 2026 and beyond?

The signing of Chad O’Shea, a veteran Super Bowl-winning receivers coach, was a key step in the right direction. Coaching New England’s receiving corps through the second half of their dynasty, O’Shea brings a depth of knowledge and experience that could prove invaluable to the Chiefs. That said, it is clear the team needs to sign a receiver out of free agency to bolster Mahomes’ target opportunities in 2026. The two potential game changers still available are Deebo Samuel and Tyreek Hill.

Samuel spent the first six years of his career as a 49er, lighting up the Bay Area with dynamic plays. A backfield nightmare once he gets the ball in his hands, Samuel carries the ball like a running back. The University of South Carolina alum has proven to be a dependable wideout, even later in his career. After his time in San Francisco, Samuel was traded to the Washington Commanders in 2025. He put up respectable numbers in a hobbled franchise with Jayden Daniels out for most of the year due to injury and receiving balls from backup QB Marcus Mariota. As steadfast as Samuel has proven to be, he has broken a thousand yards receiving just once in his career. That said, he wouldn’t need to break a thousand for the Chiefs to be successful. A weapon on the field that opposing defenses would have to take into account, Samuel could open up the field for Rice and Worthy, as well as everyone else on the field, including Kelce. The veteran receiver has never had a quarterback of the caliber of Mahomes, which alone would be an intriguing determinant of his success on the field.

Mahomes and Hill were once one of the most feared quarterback-receiver tandems in the NFL, winning a Super Bowl together, before the Hall of Fame Caliber speedster was traded to the Miami Dolphins in 2022. With his time as a fin not nearly as successful as his time at Arrowhead, Hill might want to add another Super Bowl ring to the one he earned in Kansas City by going back to Kansas City. With his familiarity with both Mahomes and Reid, his mind for the Chiefs’ playbook wouldn’t be in question; however, his health would be. In a Week Four game against the New York Jets last year, Hill suffered a catastrophic left knee injury, dislocating it with multiple torn ligaments. His projected first week return to the field is optimistic. At 32 years old with a significant injury, a Hill contract would be between $10 and $15 million, more or less the same as Samuel’s.

With two veteran receivers in free agency, both with Super Bowl experience still available, the Chiefs could add an x-factor to the roster with either one of these signings. Samuels, with his Swiss Army knife capability and physicality, and Hill, a five-time All-Pro with experience within the organization. The potential for either one to be a plus for the team is obvious, with only Hill’s return to his former self after such an injury being in question. One thing is certain: with the way the 2025 season went for Kansas City’s receivers, the Chiefs should take a chance on either Hill or Samuel to shake things up at Arrowhead.