The insiders say the Kansas City Chiefs are eyeing defensive interior help more than another wide receiver, with talk of adding defensive linemen to shore up the interior and relieve pressure on the edge rushers.

Some of the talking heads expect Kansas City to look opposite what fans predict, focusing on line play and run game reinforcement rather than a glam WR splash.

Other trade chatter suggests high-upside running backs like Alvin Kamara or Breece Hall make schematic sense to give Mahomes another reliable outlet and take some designed pressure off his legs. The deadline is Nov. 4, and the Chiefs’ usual appetite for deadline activity means “do nothing” is never a lock.

Rashee Rice came back and did exactly what Chiefs fans buy tickets for: He stretched zones, threatened seams, and reminded defenders why Kansas City spent a first-round pick on him.

The offense instantly looks more dangerous. Rice’s unique blend of inside-the-box toughness and yards after catch ability gives Mahomes another reliable option in tight windows and in the red zone.

Trade-deadline table of possible Chiefs targets and their fit:

How Rice’s comeback changes the trade scenery

• With Rice back, adding another receiver feels less necessary. Rice’s presence restores a primary threat that lowers the ceiling for a receiver’s splash at the deadline.

• The Chiefs’ real Achilles heel remains trenches and three-down defensive reliability. Adding an interior D-lineman or a proven runner addresses those grindy minutes where games are won late in January.

• If the front office wants to be spectacle-forward, a high-profile RB trade still makes sense. It gives Mahomes explosives at multiple levels while quietly allowing the OL and DL to make mid-deadline housekeeping moves.

My Hot Sports Opinion (because HSOs are the spicy ketchup of sports)

1. Brett Veach makes a move that lets fans say “of course he did that,” and analysts nod approvingly. Prime target? A DL depth piece to help Chris Jones breathe easier.

2. If an unexpected bell-ringer trade happens, it’s probably a running back (Kamara or Hall), because giving Mahomes more check-down fireworks is a classic Chiefs flex.

3. A receiver trade? Only if a unicorn falls from the sky and asks to play in red and gold. Otherwise, Rice’s return makes it unnecessary.

Rashee Rice’s return turns Arrowhead back into a threat that makes defenses sweat, and at the deadline, Kansas City will likely buy the kind of player that helps that sweat become full-blown panic.

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As always, take care of yourself, love one another, don’t let the demons inside win, and make someone smile.