Four games into his career in Kansas City, Tyquan Thornton has already generated 47% of his career yardage total with the Patriots and is at a career high in touchdowns. The Chiefs’ investment in Thornton has paid off in a big way already. He’s on pace for 43 receptions, 774 yards, and 13 touchdowns if he plays a full 17-game season. While those numbers probably aren’t sustainable with the return of Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice, it speaks to his value to the team already.

Thornton’s role in the offense feels like it has real staying power, too. His ability to line up on the outside and beat man coverage makes him a valuable commodity. The Chiefs’ offense has always prioritized a vertical speed threat on the outside. For years, it was Tyreek Hill, and the day after they traded Hill, they signed Marquez Valdes-Scantling to do the same thing. Thus far, it looks like Thornton could at least play the MVS role or possibly even be an upgrade at that spot.

Assuming that Thornton remains on the active roster for two more games, he will be set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2025 season. The Chiefs have a brief period where they can negotiate with Thornton before he hits the open market. They would be wise to extend him soon for a number of reasons.

With each passing game of production, Thornton’s price tag likely goes up. Right now, to most teams, he seems more like a good story of a player taking hold of a second chance rather than a viable starter. However, if he keeps this up for a full year, it begins to look more real.

The Chiefs would be smart to think about keeping Tyquan Thornton around for more than 2025.

Additionally, extending Thornton before the end of the season gets him more guaranteed money sooner. Thornton has made $4.9 million in his career with the Patriots and Chiefs. Getting him a real extension would be lucrative for his financial outlook. Still just 25 years old, Tyquan Thornton is younger than Rashee Rice. Brett Veach and his team could ideally get life-changing money in the hands of Thornton and still thread the needle of keeping the deal team-friendly while having Thornton back on the market in 2–3 years for another potential payday.

As for roster construction, extending Thornton is wise too. Next year, the only wide receivers under contract for the Chiefs are Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Jalen Royals. Extending Thornton would help replace some of the snaps the Chiefs would be losing in JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquise Brown. With the hopeful growth of Jalen Royals, the Chiefs could essentially take wide receiver off their draft board for 2026, which, given some of the early draft grades, seems wise as the class appears underwhelming at receiver. More importantly, the offense is going to need investment at skill positions as the likely retirement of Travis Kelce looms.

As for the contract itself, it’s best to look at similar players. Marquez Valdes-Scantling signed a three-year, $30 million deal in Kansas City in 2022. This offseason, the Rams re-signed Tutu Atwell for one year at $10 million, and similarly, the Jaguars signed Dyami Brown for almost the exact same deal. There’s a pretty nice track record of vertical field stretchers going for about $10 million a year. Would the Chiefs offer Thornton a two-year, $22 million deal with the first year guaranteed? That would get him back on the market to earn another payday if he plays well and provides him with some financial security long term.

The Chiefs’ core at receiver for the next three years would then be solidified as Worthy, Thornton, and Royals, while still leaving room to make an offer to Rashee Rice, who will be a free agent in 2027. While the Chiefs are paying some hefty checks right now for Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, Nick Bolton, Patrick Mahomes, and George Karlaftis, they also now have the flexibility of two rookie-contract starters along the offensive line (Josh Simmons and Kingsley Suamataia) and what appears to be another starting corner (Nohl Williams). This puts the Chiefs in an advantageous spot, as after Travis Kelce, almost none of their skill players are due for big extensions.

The Chiefs believed in Tyquan Thornton, and now they are being rewarded for it. Hopefully, that leap of faith ends in a contract for both sides.