AFC West

The Kansas City Chiefs made a major splash on Thursday, trading for wideout Kadarius Toney, according to multiple reports:

Breaking: Kadarius Toney
To Chiefs, source tells @theScore. #Chiefs trade their conditional 3rd round pick and 6th to #Giants.

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) October 27, 2022

Giants have traded Kadarius Toney to the Chiefs for a conditional third pick and a sixth round pick, source confirms.@Schultz_Report on it first.

— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) October 27, 2022

The trade offers Patrick Mahomes yet another speedy offensive playmaker and will have fantasy players questioning whether Toney is a must-have waiver addition this week and if the other Chiefs receivers, namely JuJu Smith-Schuster, will be impacted by the trade.

Toney is a fascinating option. His hamstring issues have limited him to just two games this season, and it has to be a concern that the New York Giants were willing to cut ties in their 2021 first-round pick's second season. Toney has also offered a mixed bag when he has played, though the flashes of upside have been tantalizing.

We all scream about Kadarius Toney's talent. He had one game in which the league fell in love with that talent against the Cowboys, and since then he has failed to live up to that standard.

The Giants were done. Apparently, Toney was as well.

— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) October 27, 2022

Kadarius Toney could be huge for the Chiefs IF he can ever get healthy.

But the fact that the Giants, who are desperate for WR help, would just dump him rather than wait to see if he could get healthy, shows how much he quickly wore out his welcome with the new regime. https://t.co/vmKbDbO3tI

— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) October 27, 2022

In October last year, for instance, he torched the Dallas Cowboys to the tune of 10 catches for 189 yards. The rest of his rookie season didn't come close to matching that, however, as he finished with 39 receptions for 420 yards in 10 games, never finding the end zone.

Toney has real playmaking potential, though, and he'll have the team's bye week to get up to speed. His new quarterback is certainly happy to have him:

pic.twitter.com/3jWNbjuLIR

— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) October 27, 2022

He should be added on waivers in all formats as a speculative addition. There is enough talent here to intrigue, and he's landed with an offense famous for getting the most out of dynamic wide receivers. If any team is going to extract his full potential, it's the Chiefs.

Andy Reid is going to turn Toney into a monster isn’t he. https://t.co/6IZTESQYgh

— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) October 27, 2022

Andy Reid’s track record of dealing with difficult personalities might be more important to Toney’s potential success in KC than the wide receiver’s health.

— Bruce Nolan (@BruceExclusive) October 27, 2022

As with everything Kadarius Toney, I LOVE the idea of him in Kansas City.

Just have to see him actually play consistently. But he can be the WR1 there for a long time if everything goes well.#ChiefsKingdom

— Ian Valentino (@NFLDraftStudy) October 27, 2022

“Trade: Chiefs trade their conditional 3rd-round pick and 6th-round pick to the Giants for WR Kadarius Toney, per source.”

Toney’s fantasy value:https://t.co/lCWdvHkCFA

— Moody (@EricNMoody) October 27, 2022

KC is betting that: 1. Toney will be motivated; 2. Reid can scheme him up; 3. Mahomes can lead him.

The potential is through the roof. But he's been hurt + disinterested. Veach/Reid must believe they can rehab him.

— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) October 27, 2022

It shouldn't affect Smith-Schuster's impact much—the two are far different players. The veteran wideout has appeared to develop real chemistry with Mahomes in recent weeks, emerging as a solid flex option for your team.

If anything, Toney could see some of the touches that have been going to Mecole Hardman or Skyy Moore. But Smith-Schuster's role in the Kansas City offense seems secure at this point.

The Denver Broncos are looking at the big picture despite a slow start to the season with new quarterback Russell Wilson.

"We are in it for the long haul with Russ, not seven games," general manager George Paton told reporters Thursday. "I believe in Russ. We just need to play better on offense."

The Broncos acquired Wilson in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks that cost three players and five draft picks, including two firsts, before agreeing to a five-year, $245 million extension with the quarterback.

It means Denver is committed to Wilson despite the disappointing 2-5 start to the season, with an offense that ranks dead last in the NFL with just 14.3 points per game.

Wilson missed Week 7 with a hamstring injury, although he has struggled when on the field with just five passing touchdowns and three interceptions in six games. His 83.4 passer rating would be the worst of his career, far below his 101.8 mark over 10 years with the Seahawks.

The quarterback's 35.2 Total QBR ranks 29th of 32 qualified players in the NFL this season.

Despite the issues, the Broncos don't really have much choice besides sticking with Wilson. The organization would be left with $107 million in dead cap if the quarterback was released in the offseason, per Spotrac.

It would take until at least 2025 for there to be a reasonable cap figure, and even that leaves $49.6 million after a trade or release.

Paton still stands by the contract extension, as he explained Thursday:

We wanted to get ahead of the contract cycle. We had seen how Russ was in the offseason and training camp and we felt really good about Russ. We feel really good about Russ. We wanted to get ahead of it. We didn’t want a lot of distraction during the season. We feel really good about it. I feel good about that deal. I feel like it will hold up. I feel good about Russ.

Wilson and the Broncos will try to turn things around Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.

The Los Angeles Chargers expect to be without receiver Mike Williams for a "minimum of four weeks," according to Daniel Popper of The Athletic.

Williams suffered a high-ankle sprain in Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. He had 86 yards and a touchdown before he was helped off the field.

The Chargers have a bye in Week 8, but the latest timeline will cost the receiver at least three games, including the important Week 11 battle against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Williams has been a go-to option in the Chargers' passing attack this year, leading the team with 495 receiving yards to tie for 10th in the NFL. He topped 100 yards in three of his first five games of the season.

The 2017 first-round pick was building off his breakout 2022 season where he set a career high with 76 catches for 1,146 yards, adding nine touchdowns. It earned him a three-year, $60 million contract extension last offseason.

The latest injury means the Chargers will need more from Keenan Allen, who has played just two games this year while dealing with hamstring issues. The five-time Pro Bowler has only six catches so far after tallying at least 100 receptions in each of the last three years.

Josh Palmer and DeAndre Carter will also see bigger roles, although Palmer missed Week 7 because of a concussion.

It puts pressure on quarterback Justin Herbert to carry the team after an up-and-down 4-3 start to 2022.

The Chargers simply can't catch a break, however, with key players like Joey Bosa, Rashawn Slater and J.C. Jackson also missing significant time due to injury.

Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson, who missed last week's loss to the New York Jets with a hamstring injury, said he worked out to stay loose during the team's eight-hour flight to London ahead of Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Russell Wilson worked out and stretched for four of the eight hours on the flight from Denver to London. Said he was doing high knees in the aisle when the rest of the guys were asleep.

— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) October 26, 2022

Wilson also declared himself ready to return after the one-game absence.

Russell Wilson: “I feel good. I’m ready to rock.” #9sports pic.twitter.com/LUuxQUnSXa

— Mike Klis (@mikeklis) October 26, 2022

Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett added the quarterback is "trending in the right way" to play Sunday against the Jags.

Wilson hasn't delivered the type of game-changing performances Denver sought when it acquired him from the Seattle Seahawks as part of a blockbuster trade in March.

The nine-time Pro Bowler has completed just 58.6 percent of his throws for 1,442 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions in six games. He's added one rushing score.

He ranks 29th out of 32 qualified quarterbacks in ESPN's Total QBR, and he's received a lackluster 59.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus.

While Wilson hasn't lived up to expectations, he's still the Broncos' best option under center. Brett Rypien and Josh Johnson, who's on the practice squad, are the team's reserves.

Denver, which ranks last in the league in points per game (14.3), will attempt to start finding an offensive rhythm against a Jags defense that's tied for 10th in points allowed per contest (19.6).

Kickoff at London's Wembley Stadium is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday.

As he prepares for his eighth game as head coach of the Denver Broncos, Nathaniel Hackett could find himself unemployed by the end of the weekend.

Per ESPN's Dan Graziano, there is chatter within NFL circles that Hackett's job "could be on the line" based on the result of Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Hackett has often looked like he is in over his head as a head coach through Denver's first seven games. There were multiple issues in the first two weeks with simple in-game situations, like clock management and deciding when to use the field-goal unit.

Some of those issues have gotten better in recent weeks, but the Broncos' offense still hasn't improved. They have scored more than 20 points just once in seven games and rank last in the NFL in points per game (14.3).

Denver also ranks 23rd in yards per game (328.6) and 20th in passing yards per game (219.1). The team's five touchdown passes are tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears for the fewest in the league.

Adding to the issues for the Broncos offense is the price they paid, in money and draft picks, for Russell Wilson. They acquired the nine-time Pro Bowler from the Seattle Seahawks for a package that included two first-round and two second-round draft picks.

Prior to the start of the regular season, Wilson signed a five-year, $245 million contract extension that included $165 million guaranteed. He is on pace to have the worst season of his career with a 58.6 completion percentage and 35.2 QBR in six starts.

A hamstring injury kept Wilson out of Sunday's 16-9 loss to the New York Jets.

Hackett's hiring was likely based on the assumption he could elevate the offense after spending the previous three seasons as offensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers and his work with Aaron Rodgers.

Another complicating factor for Hackett is he was hired by the Broncos' previous ownership group. He got the job in January. The Walton-Penner group's purchase of the franchise was finalized in August.

The Broncos are already in last place in the AFC West and in danger of missing the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year. A loss to the Jaguars on Sunday would give them a 2-6 record.

Running back Melvin Gordon is reportedly one of several Denver Broncos players drawing interest ahead of the Nov. 1 NFL trade deadline.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano, Gordon is joined by wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler, and pass-rusher Bradley Chubb as Broncos players who other teams have inquired about.

Gordon was expected to be Denver's bell-cow back once Javonte Williams was lost for the season in Week 4 with a torn ACL, but head coach Nathaniel Hackett has not committed to him as such.

While Gordon had 15 carries and 18 touches overall in the first game without Williams, he carried only three times for eight yards in Denver's 19-16 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6.

With Hackett opting instead to feed another veteran running back in Latavius Murray, Gordon could be seen shaking his head in apparent disgust and frustration on the sidelines during the game.

After the game, Gordon told reporters that it "hurt" to be benched, and he didn't have an explanation for why it happened:

"I'm not going to lie it hurt a little today watching. They threw up the little clown logo with my face up there and I noticed it all. It sucked."

Melvin Gordon on facing the #Chargers and the loss tonight. @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/7JcaNFdr19

— Bridget Condon (@BridgetCondon_) October 18, 2022

Later that week, Gordon and Hackett told reporters that they had a positive conversation, and Gordon was then deployed as the starter in Week 7 against the New York Jets.

Gordon wasn't particularly productive in the 16-9 loss, rushing 11 times for 33 yards and catching two passes for 17 yards. Murray had eight carries and scored the team's only touchdown, while Mike Boone carried four times for 23 yards before landing on injured reserve with an ankle injury.

Overall, Gordon has rushed for 234 yards and one touchdown this season, and he is averaging just 3.5 yards per carry. Even so, he may still have at least some value in the trade market.

For starters, the 29-year-old veteran is a free agent at the end of the year, and the team that acquires would only have to pay him a prorated portion of his $2.485 million salary this season, so no long-term commitment has to be made.

Also, Gordon is a two-time Pro Bowler who has reached double digits in total touchdowns five times in his career, including last season when he had 1,131 total yards from scrimmage and 10 scores.

Given that Denver is already a highly disappointing 2-5 this season, Graziano and Jeremy Fowler speculated that a fire sale could be forthcoming if the Broncos lose to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London on Sunday.

Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy has recently been the subject of trade inquiries from other teams, but another Broncos wideout is reportedly beginning to draw more interest prior to the Nov. 1 trade deadline.

Jordan Schultz of The Score reported on The Pat McAfee Show that third-year wideout KJ Hamler is more likely to be traded this season than Jeudy, mainly because of the difference in what teams would have to give up to land either receiver.

"A guy that quietly has been discussed from other teams is KJ Hamler. I think the asking price for him is less, he's a speed guy, hasn't really been ingratiated into the offense," Schultz stated. "I think when you're talking about Jeudy—a former first-round pick who's still on his rookie deal—the asking price would be extremely high, a two or a three. That's a lot to give up."

"KJ Hamler has been discussed more by teams than Jerry Jeudy because of the asking price for Jeudy"@Schultz_Report shares his thoughts on the Broncos possibly moving players at the trade deadline #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/ILh6mGg8Hx

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) October 25, 2022

Schultz added that the Broncos have listened to trade calls but "no action [thus] far."

A second-round pick out of Penn State in 2020, Hamler hasn't been able to stay healthy throughout his young career. He played 13 games as a rookie and racked up 30 catches for 381 yards and three touchdowns before he was placed on injured reserve for a hamstring injury. He was limited to three games in 2021 after tearing his ACL in September.

Through six games this season, Hamler has failed to make an impact, with five catches for 113 yards and no touchdowns.

Any team that trades for him would be betting on his potential, as he hasn't shown the ability to contribute consistently so far in his career. Perhaps things would change for Hamler if he's given more opportunities in a different offensive system

The Kansas City Chiefs will be without defensive end Frank Clark for their next two games.

ESPN's Adam Teicher reported Tuesday that Clark was suspended two games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. Since the Chiefs are on a bye, he will sit out their Week 9 game against the Tennessee Titans and Week 10 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero noted the suspension is for his weapons arrest in 2021.

Clark's case surrounding the arrest was resolved in September.

The Associated Press reported at the time he pleaded no contest to two counts of misdemeanor possession of an assault weapon. In March 2021, a car Clark was riding in was pulled over because it didn't have a license plate. Clark was arrested when police recovered two loaded firearms.

The Michigan product was then pulled over three months later for a code violation, and police found another gun in the vehicle.

Clark was sentenced to one year of probation and 40 hours of community service and is required to show proof he completed the sentence when he returns to court in early 2023.

Legal issues predated the 29-year-old's NFL career.

Jack Baer of Yahoo Sports noted Clark was dismissed from the Wolverines football team in college following a 2014 domestic battery arrest. He pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct and also pleaded guilty to a separate felony home invasion charge for stealing a laptop.

The legal trouble didn't stop the Seattle Seahawks from selecting him with a second-round pick in the 2015 NFL draft. He played his first four seasons in Seattle and has been with Kansas City since the 2019 campaign.

He will be eligible to return in Week 11 when the Chiefs face the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.

The Las Vegas Raiders reportedly traded defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins to the Dallas Cowboys for draft pick compensation.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported the Cowboys sent a 2023 sixth-round pick to Las Vegas in exchange for Hankins and a 2024 seventh-round selection.

Hankins had been with the Raiders since 2018. He recorded 10 tackles while appearing in five games this season, though he only received one start. Andrew Billings and Bilal Nichols beat out Hankins for the two starting defensive tackle spots after they signed with the new Las Vegas regime this offseason.

Hankins remained part of the defensive line rotation but saw his snap count dwindle to just 12 plays in Week 6's win over the Houston Texans.

The Cowboys' defensive scheme should be a little better fit for Hankins, who can fill gaps in the middle and help improve a shaky run defense. Dallas is allowing 120.1 rushing yards per game, which ranks 20th in the NFL.

Compare that to a stellar pass defense that ranks fourth in yards per game (185.1) and seventh in opposing passer rating (77.7), and it was clear why a player like Hankins became a priority.

A 2013 second-round pick out of Ohio State, Hankins previously played for the New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts in addition to Las Vegas.

The Los Angeles Chargers had their worst fears confirmed on Monday after head coach Brandon Staley announced that cornerback JC Jackson has been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Jackson suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

Jackson suffered the injury late in the second quarter while trying to defend a touchdown pass caught by Seahawks rookie receiver Marquise Goodwin. His right leg was placed into an air cast before he was carted off the field.

The Chargers signed Jackson to a five-year, $82.5 million contract this offseason after spending the first four years of his career with the New England Patriots. He was considered to be one of the prized free-agent acquisitions of 2022 after he led the league with 23 passes defended last season.

However, the 26-year-old got off to a slow start with Los Angeles after he missed two games earlier this year following ankle surgery in August. He finishes the season with 15 total tackles and two passes defended.

The injury to Jackson is the latest addition to a crushing season for the Chargers. In Week 3, star defensive end Joey Bosa suffered a groin injury and Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater tore his biceps, and both are on injured reserve. All-Pro center Corey Linsley missed time with a knee injury and an illness. Kicker Dustin Hopkins is sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Star receiver Keenan Allen hasn't played since Week 1 after injuring his hamstring. Wideout Mike Williams exited prematurely against the Seahawks with an ankle injury. Quarterback Justin Herbert has been playing through fractured rib cartilage for the past five weeks.

The Chargers are 4-3 heading into their Week 8 bye, so they're getting a much-needed break before trying to turn things around in the second half of the season.