For two straight seasons, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has gone down the same well in hopes of securing a reliable, talented third wide receiver in Marquise “Hollywood” Brown behind the likes of Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy. That strategy has unfortunately run dry, as Brown has fallen far short of expectations.
Signed to two separate one-year, $7 million deals, Hollywood Brown has played in just 18 total games over two seasons, accounting for 678 yards on 58 catches and five touchdowns. That’s less than 40 yards per game on just three catches, numbers even worse when you take into account all the opportunities the Chiefs gave Brown, given the number of injuries at the position over the past two years.
While Brown’s price tag will certainly be lower than previous one-year deals, it’s safe to say the Chiefs have had their fill with the Hollywood experience. Kansas City currently has just three wide receivers on contract who made the 53-man roster last season. Rice, Worthy, and second-year man Jalen Royals, who many fans were excited about following the draft. Rice is in a contract year, and the chances of him garnering a large contract next offseason from the Chiefs or any other team aren’t great if he doesn’t clean up his off-field antics. Worthy enters a massive third year that could see the first-round pick truly maximize his potential or fall closer to the dreaded distinction of being a busted pick by the Chiefs.
Kansas City Has Options in Finding Hollywood Brown Replacement
Nevertheless, the Chiefs cannot enter the season with a trio of receivers who, while talented, are probably not cornerstone franchise pieces the team can rely on. One avenue to improve the situation is a common one: the draft. Veach, due to a truly horrific 6-11 season, has been afforded the ninth overall pick in this year's draft, along with pick No. 40. This year’s WR pool is deep with talent, a good sign for Kansas City.
At number nine, the Chiefs are in range to snag a high-end receiver prospect, my favorite being Ohio State’s Carnell Tate. Each of his three seasons in college, Tate has improved dramatically, with his pristine ball tracking abilities and zone recognition, traits highly coveted in an Andy Reid offense. At 6’3” and 195 lbs, Tate could afford to put on a bit more muscle. However, his slender build is what helps him beat defensive backs downfield in a hurry. He’s got plus speed and caught over 90 percent of contested passes thrown to him last season. Adding Carnell Tate to quarterback Patrick Mahomes' arsenal is fun to think about.
Another option staring the Chiefs in the face is Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson. Perhaps the most NFL-ready receiver in the draft, Tyson can do it all. He lines up in all three positions and has success either way, due to excellent route-running, strong hands, and an ideal 6’2”, 200 lbs frame. The worry in college with Tyson is his ability to stay healthy, something I believe has been a tad overblown, as he missed just a couple of games each of his last two seasons. There are many prospects available to the Chiefs in the draft, but if they really want to secure a number one guy for cheap, Tate and Tyson are the dream selections.
The second avenue for Kansas City to steady this receiving corps is through free agency. The Chiefs appear cash-strapped, currently ranking last in cap space, just north of $57 million over the cap, according to Spotrac. With a few snaps of his fingers, though, Veach can make some easy moves to free up a good chunk of money, which in turn could be used to land a proven receiver in this league. There really aren't any elite-level receivers in free agency, but Veach has always been good at finding diamonds in the rough.
My favorite is Green Bay Packers free agent Romeo Doubs. Now 25 years old, Doubs was a fourth-round pick in 2022 out of Nevada and has progressed every season he’s been in the league. Despite shaky quarterback play and an offense that failed to do much of anything at times last year, Doubs still managed to eclipse over 700 yards and six touchdowns. It’s production that outweighs anything Hollywood Brown provided the Chiefs. Doubs would also be a bigger threat when Kansas City has the ball, as he stands 6’2” and weighs over 200 lbs, as opposed to the smaller 5’9” Brown. I would expect Doubs’ contract to come in at around $10-$12M per year, a number that the Chiefs could definitely stomach.
A cheaper option would be to bring back deep threat Tyquan Thornton. The 25-year-old is coming off a career season of over 400 yards on 23 yards per catch. The chemistry he built with Mahomes was apparent, as was the coaching staff's failure to keep him on the field despite Thornton being the only Chiefs receiver who could successfully beat defenders vertically. Due to his specific skill set, Thornton is seen as more valuable to the Chiefs than most other teams, meaning he would not be in hot demand and is a guy Veach can sign for cheap. I would expect Thornton’s deal to come in around two years for $6-to-$8 million in total.
The receiver position is easy to overlook sometimes, because we expect Mahomes to make everyone better and produce no matter what. And while he has miraculously done just that over his career, Kansas City cannot make it a habit to expect its quarterback to cover up roster inefficiencies any longer.