Chiefs Go Hollywood At Wide Receiver, Signing Marquise Brown

From the outset of the 2024 NFL offseason, Marquise Brown always felt like one of the more logical fits for the Chiefs in free agency. Kansas City had no bigger position of need than wide receiver. At the same time, Brown will receive a major opportunity inside of the KC offense and on a top contending team. And with a cheaper one-year deal, he has the chance to cash in next offseason, on top of that.

What does this signing mean for the Kansas City offense, as a whole? Plus, how will the Chiefs benefit by having the skill set of Marquise Brown at their disposal? Let’s kick it off.

Brown Gives Chiefs True Deep Threat

The Kansas City Chiefs faced many outside questions and a fair amount of doubt from some after trading away Tyreek Hill. But in the two years since that move, Kansas City has been able to win back-to-back Super Bowls. And quite frankly, the Chiefs have done so with a fairly average group of wide receivers. Having to respect a true deep threat just was not there for opposing defenses the last couple of years, though.

But by adding Marquise Brown, that should not be something that the Chiefs have to worry about in 2024. He can simply take the top off of the defense better than anyone that KC has had at wide receiver over the last two years. Moreover, Brown utilizes that speed and quickness to alter his tempo, forcing defensive backs to have to respect him in a variety of ways. By having this element in his arsenal, the Oklahoma product can create separation easily, while also extending the throwing window of his quarterback. That is music to the ears of Mahomes and Chiefs fans, alike.

Kansas City Finds Proven Piece, Natural Offensive Fit

Not only were the Chiefs lacking, in terms of a true deep threat at wide receiver. Kansas City had very little to trust in and count on at the position, as far as proven, reliable pieces went. With Marquise Brown, the Chiefs will know exactly what they are getting each week. Outside of his blazing speed, the ball skills and yards after catch ability can lead to countless amounts of explosive plays throughout the year.

This playmaker has not just proven himself to be reliable among younger NFL wide receivers. Furthermore, the Chiefs have found a natural fit for their offense with Marquise Brown. Kansas City has always prioritized speed in their offense. Most teams probably do, obviously. But for the Chiefs in particular, the way in which they can attack with speed is on a different level.

There is also some versatility that can be tapped into. For instance, the Chiefs may look to move Marquise Brown around the offensive formation at a considerable rate. Andy Reid has never hesitated to do that with his offensive weapons. As a result, he is looking to feed as many different pictures as possible to the opposing defense in pre-snap. Brown will have no issue winning from the outside or from the slot while in Kansas City. And finally, the Chiefs ask their wide receivers to understand leverage and win those battles quickly. This wide receiver has shown he can do that successfully.

Where Chiefs Stand At Wide Receiver Spot

Of course, the Chiefs still have all-time great Travis Kelce at tight end. Kansas City is also looking to spread the wealth, utilizing the entire cast of weapons, besides just wide receivers. But with the Chiefs now officially adding Marquise Brown, let’s take a look at where things now stand at the wide receiver spot for KC.

Rashee Rice burst onto the scene as a rookie, growing into the WR1 for last year’s offense. His 938 receiving yards were more than double the next closest Kansas City wide receiver, in terms of receiving yardage total in 2023. That next man was Justin Watson. As things currently stand, the Chiefs likely view Marquise Brown and those two as the top three wide receiver options going into 2024.

We have no idea what the status of Kadarius Toney is. Could he be let go soon? Will his role be limited, if he remains with the Chiefs? Elsewhere, Skyy Moore has failed to take that next step. It would not be surprising to see Kansas City add at least one more wide receiver, maybe even two, before the start of the 2024 campaign. That could come via the draft in April. But with Marquise Brown in the fold, the Chiefs helped out Mahomes and their wide receiver spot immensely with this Thursday night addition.