The Kansas City Chiefs continue evaluating options to bolster their wide receiver group amid injuries and ongoing uncertainty surrounding a potential return of Tyreek Hill.
While reports earlier this month suggested strong interest in reuniting with the former star, the organization has moved forward with a more immediate, lower-risk alternative in free agent Justin Watson.
Hill, who spent the first six seasons of his career in Kansas City before a trade to Miami, has been linked to the Chiefs as he works back from a serious knee injury suffered last season.
His agent has indicated that a signing could come soon, with a target of returning to the field in November. However, those plans face complications from a civil trial in which Hill testified about an incident involving his ex-wife, Lakeeta Vaccaro.
During the proceedings, he acknowledged verbally threatening her and pushing her with enough force to create a small hole in a wall.
The NFL has an ongoing review under its personal conduct policy, which could result in a suspension once the legal process concludes. Combined with questions about his recovery timeline, the situation has introduced significant unknowns for any team considering him.
Against that backdrop, the Chiefs have formalized interest in Watson, who is expected to visit the team’s facility on Monday, via Chiefs insider Pete Sweeney. The 30-year-old spent three seasons in Kansas City from 2022 through 2024 after beginning his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
During his time with the Chiefs, he appeared in 50 regular-season games and recorded 64 receptions for 1,064 yards and seven touchdowns while contributing to back-to-back Super Bowl victories.
He also won a title with Tampa Bay in Super Bowl LV, giving him three championship rings overall. Released by the Houston Texans in late August after a limited 2025 season, Watson brings proven familiarity with Andy Reid’s offense and with quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Watson is not the explosive playmaker Hill has been throughout his career, but he offers availability and experience that the current situation appears to value.
The Chiefs have dealt with injuries to receivers including Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton, leaving the position thinner than ideal during the bye week.
Watson’s speed—he ran a 4.44-second 40-yard dash at his 2018 Pro Day—could help replace some of the vertical element lost with Thornton’s absence. Because he already knows the system and the personnel, any adjustment period would likely be shorter than it would be for an outside addition.
If the visit progresses toward a signing, Watson would most likely begin on the practice squad with the possibility of elevations on game days.
A direct path onto the 53-man roster is not impossible if the coaching staff sees him as an immediate contributor. Mahomes has historically valued receivers who understand the nuances of the offense, and Watson’s prior success in that environment strengthens his case.
For a Chiefs team balancing short-term needs with longer-term questions around Hill, the visit represents a practical step while the more dramatic reunion remains unresolved.
