The annual NFL trade deadline has produced many a deal in the past, especially in the final hours of eligibility. Clubs like the Kansas City Chiefs have consistently been linked to rumors in recent weeks, with the noise only amplifying as more time passes.

It's one thing to connect a team to a candidate, but it's another for said deal to actually manifest. Everyone knows which positions would benefit from being addressed in KC — what names make the most sense?

Let's dive into five realistic Chiefs trade targets for the 2026 NFL trade deadline should general manager Brett Veach want to take a swing or two.

Browns WR Jerry Jeudy

The Chiefs' need for a wideout is well-documented, even with Rashee Rice back from the hamstring injury he sustained in Week 4. Given that Tyquan Thornton is out for most or all of what's left of the regular season, the state of the receiver room is lackluster at best. Would calling the Cleveland Browns about Jerry Jeudy be the right play?

As far as financials are concerned, Spotrac reveals that Jeudy's new team would only be on the hook for $750,000 the rest of the way in 2026. Next season, he carries a $5.8M cap hit but just under $23M in total cash. Non-guaranteed money plays a role in the calculus.

The former first-round pick broke out in 2024 when he made the Pro Bowl for the first time and hauled in 90 passes for 1,229 yards and four touchdowns. Unfortunately, it's been tough sledding for him since then. He turned 106 targets into just 602 yards last season and has yet to find the end zone across eight games this year.

Still, Jeudy's capable of lining up on the boundary of the formation and should be right in his athletic prime. He won't save the season, although he could help it to some degree if all he needs in a change of scenery (and a reunion with Chiefs receivers coach Chad O'Shea).

Titans WR Calvin Ridley

This is an interesting case. Set to turn 32 in December, Calvin Ridley's best football is surely behind him. Long gone are the days of him being one of football's premier big-play threats and lighting up the stat sheet for the Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars or Tennessee Titans. With that said, could escaping the latter team help salvage whatever's left of his career in terms of production?

Ridley currently sits fourth among all Titans wideouts with 218 snaps, yet he's managed just six receptions for 91 yards. Perhaps a look back to last season is a better reflection of his ceiling after the age of 30, as he caught 17 passes for 303 yards (17.8 yards per reception) in 2025. According to Pro Football Focus, his yards per route run figure is way down to 0.73 after being 1.89 and 1.86 the two years prior.

Burning a Day 3 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft for someone of Ridley's pedigree wouldn't be the worst idea in the world, even if he turns out to be a cooked product. The receiving team in a trade would be on the hook for $2.84M via cap hit before deciding what to do with 2027 ($22.5M in cash).

Vikings WR Jauan Jennings

Former San Francisco 49ers standout Jauan Jennings was a hot commodity entering this past offseason. Many folks in Chiefs circles wanted the club to take a swing on him, but it's safe to say he hasn't lived up to the one-year, $8M deal he inked with the Minnesota Vikings. In parts of six games, the 29-year-old has only six catches for 54 yards. Twenty of those yards came on one snag.

It's clear that things weren't panning out in Minnesota, so much so that there was nearly a deal to send Jennings back to San Fran as the calendar flipped from October to November:

The #49ers and #Vikings recently had a trade agreement in place for WR Jauan Jennings to return to San Francisco, but Jennings made it clear he didn’t want to go back, and the deal fell through, per @JayGlazer. pic.twitter.com/aqCgTn5l0M

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 1, 2026

One contributing factor for Jennings' struggles could be his alignment. He's spent 59.5% of his time in the slot, his highest mark since 2023. That's enabled him to be more of a post-catch threat, but his ideal role seems to be more in line with the one he held in his old stomping grounds.

That doesn't fit with what Kansas City typically opts for, in this writer's view, even with just $3.3M being due in the event of a trade.

Colts WR Josh Downs

Behold, the name that's had the attention of just about everyone on Chiefs social media. There's been plenty of buzz surrounding Colts wideout Josh Downs, especially since his team's season has done nothing but go further down the drain in recent weeks. With the 25-year-old set to become a free agent at the conclusion of his rookie contract, he's an affordable rental who could make a significant impact in the right contest.

Is that context Kansas City, though? That's the popular debate right now.

On one hand, the connection between quarterback Daniel Jones and Downs has produced 0.35 EPA per play and a 10.3-yard average depth of target. There's no denying Downs' ability to find soft spots in zone coverage and get open. There is, however, questioning of his fit with the Chiefs considering how the rotation is presently constructed.

Downs has lined up in the slot for just under 70% of his 2026 snaps, and that marks was 78.8% in 2025 and over 80% in his first two seasons. That clashes directly with Rashee Rice, who's a slot-heavy receiver (45.7% this year). There are ways to work around that for the right player, with the right price making it even more worth doing.

Eagles DE A.J. Epenesa

You didn't think we'd get out of here without listing a defensive player, did you?

Defensive end A.J. Epenesa is someone those who follow the Chiefs should be quite familiar with, as he spent over half a decade with the Buffalo Bills and squared off against Kansas City multiple times. He's a well-built lineman with a track record of being a formidable run defender, although a slip in his play the last couple of seasons led to Buffalo bidding him farewell.

Epenesa has since latched on with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he has yet to even crack the 75-snap mark and has been credited with only four pressures and three "stops" by PFF. Still, he'd be an extremely cheap get for a team seeking one piece to round out its defensive line rotation.

The question then becomes whether the Chiefs, who are already making waiver wire claim Jack Pyburn a game-day inactive, have the 53-man roster spot for him. Consider this more of an insurance policy sort of move than something Veach needs to jump on immediately.