Report: KC Chiefs and WR Richie James ‘Exploring Trade Possibilities’ Ahead of Deadline
With Tuesday afternoon's NFL trade deadline quickly approaching, many have been campaigning for the Kansas City Chiefs to make a move at the wide receiver position. The odds of that happening may be increasing, but it could be for a player going out instead of one coming in.
Per a Monday report from Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Kansas City and wide receiver Richie James are "exploring trade possibilities."
The #Chiefs and WR Richie James are exploring trade possibilities, per source. James – who's on IR but would be healthy for a new team – appears the odd man out after Mecole Hardman trade. James had 50 catches for 569 yards and four touchdowns for the Giants in 2022.
James, who hasn't played since Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars due to a knee injury, was placed on the injured reserve list over a month ago. The veteran wideout was described by head coach Andy Reid last Friday as "close" to coming off IR and returning to practice, albeit obviously not in time to play in Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos. With the team recently acquiring Mecole Hardman via trade, as Fowler noted, there might not be much of a role waiting for James once he's officially back.
In two games this season, James was targeted three times on offense. The 28-year-old has recorded one catch for six yards, logging 26 offensive snaps in Weeks 1 and 2. He's also played 18 snaps for Dave Toub's special teams unit, returning six punts for 24 yards and bringing back one kickoff for 14 yards. His impact is a far cry from what he amassed as a member of the New York Giants last season when he caught 57 passes on 70 targets and was a trusted option for quarterback Daniel Jones.
If a James trade does come to fruition, don't expect a crazy return coming back to the Chiefs. Something similar to the Hardman trade — the player and a future seventh-round pick in exchange for a sixth-round selection — might be a good ballpark estimate. James has found himself in the same boat of being productive as recently as a season ago, although he hasn't seen the field much in 2023 and is more of a supporting piece or lottery ticket for a club looking for a return specialist and depth option at receiver.
