The Kansas City Chiefs could use some help in the passing game. That's why, on paper, letting their veteran wide receivers go may not be the wisest decision. However, given the way Marquise 'Hollywood' Brown played for them, chances are they're not going to miss him that much.
The former Chiefs wideout signed a one-year deal worth up to $6.5 million with the Philadelphia Eagles this week. They may have a pair of star WRs in DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, but this might be a decision they'll come to regret.
Marquise Brown Won't be Much Better in Philadelphia
The Chiefs needed a big-play threat, but Brown only gave them 190 total yards after the catch last season. His contested catch rate of 40 percent was far from impressive, and he averaged just 1.49 yards per route run, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
While seemingly ahead of everyone but Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy in the WR pecking order, it was painfully evident that the Chiefs needed to rotate Brown on and off the field. As a result, he played just 421 passing snaps last season, limiting his potential to make meaningful contributions.
Brown drew 72 targets on 393 routes run, logging 49 receptions for 587 receiving yards and five touchdowns, averaging just 12 yards per catch and 3.9 yards after the catch. His average depth of target (11.8) showed he wasn't the deep-play specialist the Chiefs thought he'd be.
Of course, the Eagles wouldn't need Brown to do much. Regardless of whether they end up trading A.J. Brown at some point in the future, which is admittedly a big "if," they still have a budding star in DeVonta Smith to do the heavy lifting.
That said, it's highly unlikely to see that he might be able to keep up in what will probably be a fast-paced offense with an improved passing game under Sean Mannion's tutelage. He's not that type of playmaker, and Eagles fans can be pretty ruthless.
Hollywood Brown is a decent rotation piece, but not much more than that. He's a catch-and-fall type of guy, and he failed to make the most of every single opportunity he had to step up when the Chiefs were undermanned. There's a reason why they brought back Tyquan Thornton and not him.
All in all, Brown was a pretty unimpactful and disappointing signing for Andy Reid's team, and the Chiefs can definitely do much better next season now that Eric Bieniemy has taken the reins of the offense again.