Chiefs sign underutilized ex-Jets wide receiver to the practice squad ahead of divisional round game vs. Texans

Brownlee went undrafted out of Southern Miss following the 2023 NFL draft, appearing in five games during the 2023 NFL season and recording five catches on eight targets for 56 yards and a touchdown. He had a ton of hype coming out after a strong training camp and made the team's initial 53-man roster that year. In 2024, however, he spent the season on the practice squad for New York. When practice squad contracts expired for the Jets on Monday, Brownlee was one of six players who opted against signing reserve/future contracts with the team.

Why sign Brownlee to the practice squad now?

Brownlee will likely be used in a scout team role for Kansas City as they prepare for the AFC divisional round. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Brownlee actually compares favorably to a pair of receivers on the Texans' roster — Xavier Hutchinson and Jared Wayne. The Chiefs will need to get prepped for Wayne, specifically, after he was signed from the practice squad  following the release of the wayward Diontae Johnson. 

Should Brownlee make a good impression now, he could even earn a reserve/future deal with the Chiefs whenever the season ends for Kansas City.