The NFL trade deadline specials reigned supreme on Tuesday. Notifications from every sports app rained down with an hour to go. Yet wherever you looked or listened, all was quiet on the Kansas City Chiefs front. The decision for the Chiefs to stand pat at wide receiver and other positions ahead of yesterday's deadline will be scrutinized until Sunday's kickoff in Week 9.
If the team's loss to Denver had happened maybe two or three weeks ago, Chiefs Kingdom might not be in such a trade fervor. This team is still an AFC favorite and one of the league's best teams after eight weeks of action. Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has already made one trade to bolster the team's depth. Mecole Hardman may not be a ground-shaking move, but it still gave Patrick Mahomes a familiar target and Kansas City a productive option in the return game.
But there should have still been more. It takes two to tango, and Veach could have been diligently working the phones, as all fans know. The fact is, there were trades made around the league involving some players who could help this Kansas City squad. Let's look at the nine trades made since the Hardman move and see which should have involved the Chiefs and which shouldn't have.
The Chiefs should have made a minor defensive tackle move, like for Kentavius Street.
The trade:
Atlanta Falcons receive DL Kentavius Street and 2025 seventh-round pick
Philadelphia Eagles receive 2024 sixth-round pick
I am sure that Veach was limited in trading options after the Hardman trade. But the defensive line's depth is scarily shallow behind superstar Chris Jones. There is a chasm between him and players like Derrick Nnadi, Matt Dickerson, and Tershawn Wharton. Neil Farrell has not taken a Sunday snap for the team yet, so who knows what he could bring?
Street is more of an example but could have been a low-budget target. He already has two Super Bowl appearances with the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles. The 26-year-old is a situational player but would replace Wharton in this equation. Wharton has not had a great return from his torn ACL last season and should very much be on the roster bubble moving forward.