Chiefs finally land much-needed weapon for Patrick Mahomes with Josh Downs trade

The route-runner the Chiefs have been missing

Matt Harmon, football writer and analyst for Yahoo Sports and Yahoo Fantasy, called the acquisition a major upgrade for the Chiefs, describing Downs as the team's best route-runner and most effective separator against man coverage in years.

"Huge boost for KC. Huge boost for Downs. Outside of a few uncharacteristic drops," Harmon wrote. "He’s been perfectly good on tape and has stacked some nice explosive wins on intermediate routes. Best route runner and man coverage beater they’ve had in years." 

Kansas City's pursuit of additional receiver help was driven by a growing need for more explosiveness in the passing game. It was evident in their losses to the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos. 

"Since Week 4, when the Chiefs defeated the Las Vegas Raiders, Patrick Mahomes hasn't completed a pass of over 20 air yards," ESPN's Stephen Holder wrote. "Earlier this season, the Chiefs' best deep threat was receiver Tyquan Thornton, who suffered a dislocated left ankle that required surgery."

Creating separation against man coverage has been a recurring issue for Kansas City's offense, making Downs a potential go-to option whenever Mahomes needs an easy completion on crucial downs. 

The Chiefs can't rely on Travis Kelce forever

Kansas City's urgency to acquire Downs stems from a growing reliance on Travis Kelce in the passing game. While the future Hall of Fame tight end remains productive, the Chiefs have spent several seasons searching for a receiver who can consistently win against man coverage and take pressure off their aging offensive centerpiece. 

"Travis Kelce is 37, he's led their team in receiving the last four years," Dan Orlovsky said on "NFL Live." "That's not sustainable for a Super Bowl run. These two teams played Week 2; Josh Downs wore Kansas City out, and they could not cover him. This young man is different. ... In one-on-one, you cannot cover him in man coverage. This is a tremendous addition." 

Downs' acquisition becomes even more important because WR Xavier Worthy was lost to a hamstring injury last week against the New York Jets. 

James Boyd of The Athletic, who covers the Colts, noted that Downs did not handle the attention surrounding his trade request particularly well, with a string of notable drops, calling them "egregious" and raising questions as he prepares for the heightened expectations that come with joining the Chiefs.