Getty Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marquise Brown.
Though the Kansas City Chiefs currently sport a 5-1 record, which has them sitting atop the AFC, there are quite a few things they need to improve on if they want to make another Super Bowl run this season.
One way the team can improve offensively is by adding more talent to its receiver room. That’s why Grant Tuttle of Arrowhead Addict suggested the Chiefs trade for Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marquise Brown. Tuttle wrote that Kansas City could acquire Brown ahead of the October 31 deadline in exchange for a second-round pick and a conditional fifth-round pick.
“This seems like the sweet spot. The Chiefs are not in the business of trading away a bunch of picks. With Patrick Mahomes at the helm, having younger, cheaper talent is paramount. With that in mind, a second-round pick and a conditional fifth seem like a good deal for both sides,” Tuttle wrote on October 15. “The Cardinals get two more young players on the roster for next year as well as some ammunition for trading up in the draft. The Chiefs get a playmaker that takes their offense to a higher level immediately.”
What to Know About Hollywood Brown
Marquise “Hollywood” Brown was a first-round pick — 25th overall — of the Baltimore Ravens in 2019. Standing at 5-foot-9 and weighing 180 pounds, Brown accumulated a total of 195 receptions for 2,361 yards and 21 touchdowns during his three seasons with the Ravens.
During the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, Baltimore traded Brown and a third-round pick to the Cardinals in exchange for the 23rd overall pick of the 2022 draft. The Browns would eventually use that pick to draft their current starting center, Tyler Linderbaum.
During his first season in Arizona, Brown registered 67 receptions on 107 targets for 709 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns in 12 games played.
Through six games this season, Brown has caught 29-of-53 targets for 334 yards and 3 touchdowns.
With the Cardinals currently sporting a 1-5 record, which is tied for second-worst in the NFL, there’s a chance that Arizona could look to trade away some of its valued players to accumulate draft picks in future years.
Brown is currently on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, which has him on the books with a $13.4 million cap hit in 2023.
Should Chiefs Pursue Hollywood Brown?
Given the current state of Kansas City’s offense, it would make sense for the Chiefs to pursue Hollywood Brown.
The Chiefs do not currently have a receiver on the roster who can consistently challenge defenses downfield. The best deep threat the defending Super Bowl champions have this season is Justin Watson — who is averaging 21.9 yards per catch through six games — but he dislocated his elbow in the Week 6 win over the Denver Broncos and will be out several weeks as a result. The second best is Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who has just 116 yards on 7 catches so far this season.
Adding Brown to the Chiefs’ receiver room would allow Mahomes to push the ball downfield more often, freeing up more short passes as a result and leading to an overall more productive offense for Kansas City.
As it currently stands, the Chiefs have $3.8 million in cap space, per Over the Cap. Giving Brown a contract extension would be the easiest way to lower his cap hit for the 2023 season, which would make him more affordable for Kansas City.