The Kansas City Chiefs are firing on all cylinders with a 5-0 start, the last remaining undefeated team in the AFC. Offseason free agent signing Kenneth Walker III has already rushed for an NFL-best 665 yards and he still has 12 games to go. Future Hall of Fame quarterback Patrick Mahomes appears to have made a complete recovery from a serious knee injury that cost him the final three games of last season.
Even 37-year-old Travis Kelce in what may be the final NFL season of his sure-fire Hall of Fame career has caught 20 passes for 299 yards. What could possibly be wrong with the Chiefs?
Yes, Kansas City is 5-0, but the unsettling truth is that injuries have gutted its receiver room, and the Indianapolis Colts’ Keenan Allen is a 34-year-old with six Pro Bowls on his resume who just may be available for the right offer. So here’s a trade pitch for the Chiefs to solve the receiver problem, or at least put a Band-Aid on it.
The Kansas City Chiefs would acquire wide receiver Allen from the Colts for a sixth-round pick under this trade pitch.
The Chiefs lead both the AFC West and the AFC, scoring 28.0 points per game while allowing 16.6, the NFL’s second-lowest figure, according to StatMuse 2026 Chiefs team statistics. The wideouts are a different story. Tyquan Thornton dislocated an ankle in the Oct. 4 win at Las Vegas and is expected to be out 12 to 16 weeks, with a chance to return late in the regular season or for the playoffs, according to NFL Network senior reporter Ian Rapoport.
Rashee Rice hurt a hamstring in the same game, missed the Oct. 18 win over the Los Angeles Chargers and sat out Wednesday’s opening practice before Sunday night’s trip to face the defending champion Seattle Seahawks, according to Kansas City station KCTV5. Kansas City is reportedly exploring receiver additions.
Indianapolis Colts’ Keenan Allen Career Arc and Trade Status
Allen played at the University of California before the San Diego Chargers drafted him in the third round, 76th overall, in 2013.
He is a six-time Pro Bowl selection and the 2017 AP Comeback Player of the Year, with 1,081 receptions for 12,278 yards and 71 touchdowns in 176 games.
Allen spent 11 seasons with the Chargers before the Chicago Bears acquired him for a fourth-round pick in March 2024. The Colts signed him Aug. 19, reuniting him with head coach Shane Steichen, according to team website Colts.com.
This season Allen has 26 catches for 227 yards and one touchdown through five games, an average of 8.7 yards per reception. He also has an open legal matter. He was arrested on DUI charges Aug. 30, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sept. 20 that he faces a minimum three-game suspension, though he is not expected to miss playing time while the case moves through court, according to CBS Sports.
Indianapolis is 2-4 after squandering a 13-0 halftime lead against the previously winless Titans on Oct. 18, and owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon fired general manager Chris Ballard the next morning.
“The sense of urgency has never been higher,” Irsay-Gordon said in a statement, as quoted by NFL.com. The Colts visit the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
Chiefs’ Keenan Allen Trade Price and Fit
Allen would arrive as a possession receiver, not a deep threat. The 6-foot-2, 211-pounder is a big target with good hands who uses his body to shield defenders and is particularly effective around the first-down marker and the goal line.
Thornton’s final play was a 55-yard reception, according to Kansas City station KSHB. Allen offers a different skill set, namely a dependable option on short and intermediate throws for quarterback Patrick Mahomes while Thornton recovers and Rice’s hamstring heals.
The price sits at the low end of what a player like Allen has drawn. Chicago gave up a fourth-round pick when Allen was 31 and fresh off 108 catches for 1,243 yards. He is now 34 and signed through this season only. A sixth-round pick is two rounds cheaper, for a receiver with far less production and no commitment beyond this season.
For Indianapolis, any pick is a return on a player with no obvious role for a 2-4 team. For Kansas City, it is a low-cost, low-risk addition.
The Chiefs have reasons to act while unbeaten. Right tackle Jaylon Moore (concussion) also sat out Wednesday’s practice, according to KCTV5, so the deadline offers a chance to add depth before injuries cost Kansas City ground in the standings.
Chiefs Trade Pitch Lands 6-Time Pro Bowler Amid WR Injury Concerns