KC Chiefs Free Agency Preview: Could Marquise 'Hollywood' Brown Be KC's Big Splash at WR?
With NFL free agency about to hit full swing, let's take a closer look at one of the premium players at a position the Chiefs will certainly be looking to address: wide receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown.
The Chiefs have been connected to Brown for months, perhaps most notably at least last year's trade deadline, when the rebuilding Arizona Cardinals had an uncertain future and no realistic playoff hopes with Brown playing out the last year of his deal.
So is this finally the time Kansas City lands Hollywood? Arrowhead Report's Jordan Foote and I take a closer look at the fit, the cost, and why it might make sense as the Chiefs retool their group of pass-catchers.
Jordan Foote: With Mike Evans signed and both Michael Pittman Jr. and Tee Higgins on the franchise tag, premier wideout options for the Chiefs are dwindling. Kendrick Bourne re-signing with the Patriots takes another option off the table for second or third-tier weapons. With things heating up on the signing front soon, the Chiefs will be under some pressure to sign a quality receiver. Ignoring money for just a second, how much sense does Hollywood Brown make as a fit in Andy Reid and Matt Nagy's offense?
Joshua Brisco: We've been talking about Brown's fit in Kansas City for a long time, and this may actually be the point in the Hollywood-to-KC saga where a union makes the most sense yet. His speedy vertical skill set feels like a tremendous counter to what Rashee Rice does best in the short and intermediate sections of the field. Plus, Brown could work underneath with Rice and Travis Kelce as other deadly intermediate threats, keeping the offense flexible and unpredictable. I think the fit is pretty clear, especially after we saw the Chiefs value Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the post-Tyreek Hill era when they wanted a deep-threat field-stretcher. While Brown will most likely end up getting a substantial deal, he's at least a free agent at this point, which is a clear advantage over attempting to trade for a player like Pittman who would also need a new deal upon arriving in KC.
Foote: I'm with you on just about every element of that. The thing that has my attention (and always has since Brown's name first got mentioned in Chiefs circles) is price. On one hand, estimates from Pro Football Focus ($12 million) and Spotrac ($14.8M) for an average annual value are far from crazy in this wideout market. Brown turns 27 in July, so signing him for a one-year or multiyear deal would both make sense. He also has a 1,000-yard season on his resume. On the other hand, he's dealt with some injuries during his career and is now several years removed from that career-best campaign. He may have as wide a range of financial outcomes as any above-average receiver in free agency. What gives on that front?
Brisco: Those numbers feel low, right? I'd be a little surprised if he chooses a one-year deal, since I would imagine he'll have multi-year deals available, and sub-$15 million annually would feel like a bargain. The Chiefs signed Valdes-Scantling to a three-year, $30 million deal that was really more like two years, $18 million, including $2 million in dead money in 2024. I'd give Brown a more premium version of that deal without much hesitation, especially as the wide receiver market thins out in free agency.
