The Kansas City Chiefs have gotten off to a slower-than-usual start to the 2025 NFL season. It isn’t expected to last, but nonetheless, Brett Veach may want to consider adding reinforcements to the team’s core.
Offensively, the Chiefs have been asking a lot of Patrick Mahomes in the early stages of the season. The team should get a boost in Week 7, when top wide receiver Rashee Rice returns to action.
However, Kansas City may need to add a starting caliber running back to take pressure off Mahomes, who was the team’s leading rusher through five weeks.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs entered Week 6 with the 10th-best pressure rate in the NFL. However, George Karlaftis and Chris Jones have combined to produce 41 of the team’s 67 total pressures, showcasing a need for another high-end pass rusher on defense.
Could the Chiefs find solutions to either of those problems on the trade market? Below is a look at some of the names they should keep an eye on ahead of the 2025 NFL trade deadline.
Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
The Saints figure to be one of the NFL’s worst teams in 2025 as they navigate a rebuild. That could lead them to consider trading Kamara, a 30-year-old running back who doesn’t fit New Orleans’ timeline for contention.
Kamara is averaging just 3.9 yards per carry this season, so he may not be a significant between-the-tackles upgrade for the Chiefs. That said, his pass-catching skills – he entered Week 6 having logged 590 career catches across 120 regular-season games – would make him an ideal fit as a checkdown weapon for Mahomes. Andy Reid would love drawing up plays for the versatile veteran.
Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets
Hall is a dual-threat back who is averaging 5.3 yards per carry thus far during the 2025 NFL season. By comparison, Kansas City’s running backs have combined to average 3.9 yards per carry. As such, Hall’s explosiveness would add a new element to Kansas City’s offense.
Rico Dowdle, RB, Carolina Panthers
If the Chiefs go bargain-hunting at running back, Dowdle could be a nice fit. The 27-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Panthers to back up Chuba Hubbard. He has thrived in that role, and recently had a 206-yard rushing performance in Hubbard’s stead against the Miami Dolphins.
The Panthers may not be able to sign Dowdle long-term after the season with Hubbard already under contract and 2024 second-round pick Jonathon Brooks waiting in the wings while recovering from another ACL tear. That could allow the Chiefs to swoop in and install him as the leader of their backfield rotation.
Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens
Let’s be honest: this isn’t likely to happen. Henry signed a two-year, $30 million extension to keep him in Baltimore through the 2027 season during the offseason. The Ravens won’t necessarily be looking to offload the 31-year-old, and especially not to one of their rivals.
Even so, the Ravens have been decimated by injuries and may not have a legitimate path to contention in 2025 because of it. That could turn them into a seller who could be willing to move Henry for the right price.
Henry has been more up-and-down than usual in 2025, but he entered Week 6 averaging an even 5 yards per carry. His physicality and toughness would replicate what Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt do but at a much higher level.
Bradley Chubb, edge, Miami Dolphins
Chubb missed the 2024 season with a torn ACL but has come out of the gates strong in 2025. He has four sacks across the Dolphins’ first five games playing across from Jaelan Phillips and could generate similar production across from Karlaftis.
The issue with acquiring Chubb? He is owed $20.2 million in cash during the 2026 season and $23.3 million the following year. Chubbs’ contract is not guaranteed beyond 2025, but it would be expensive for Kansas City to make the 29-year-old anything more than a rest-of-season rental.
Kayvon Thibodeaux, edge, New York Giants
If the Chiefs want to target a younger pass rusher, Thibodeaux could be worth pursuing. He has generated 19 pressures and 2.5 sacks playing alongside Brian Burns and Abdul Carter this season and won’t turn 25 until December.
Why would the Giants consider moving Thibodeaux? They have already paid Burns while Carter – the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft – could replace the Oregon product on the outside. That could allow the Giants to exchange Thibodeaux for some draft capital to accelerate a rebuild, while Kansas City would get a needed upgrade across from Karlaftis.
Maliek Collins, DT, Cleveland Browns
The Chiefs could also consider adding pass rush talent to their defensive line. That could put Collins – who has generated 3.5 sacks, 18 pressures and is Pro Football Focus’ No. 2 graded interior defender – on their radar.
Collins, 30, signed a two-year, $20 million contract with the Browns during the offseason. The Chiefs could find a way to make his deal fit into their cap space, while Cleveland has already signaled it is willing to move off veteran pieces after trading Joe Flacco to the Bengals.