Marquise Brown

Chiefs’ Marquise Brown Could Return This Season

November 19th, 2024 at 6:58pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Chiefs “haven’t totally ruled out” a late-season return by wide receiver Marquise Brown, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Brown was originally expected to miss the rest of the 2024 season after undergoing shoulder surgery and landing on injured reserve in September. However, the Chiefs’ coaching staff have been monitoring Brown’s rehab process, according to Fowler, and the next month will determine if the 2019 first-rounder can play this season.

Brown’s return would be a major boost to a Kansas City offense that ranks outside of the top 10 in several categories, including points per game, yards per game, and yards per play. The Chiefs just lost their first game of the season to the Bills, with Patrick Mahomes unable to surpass 200 passing yards and just one of his pass catchers recording more than 30 receiving yards.

The Chiefs have just two players averaging at least 50 receiving yards per game: Travis Kelce and DeAndre Hopkins. Kelce has not been as dominant as past years, but Hopkins has settled into Kansas City nicely with 17 receptions for 200 yards in his first four games. Xavier Worthy has impressed as a gadget playmaker but lacks the consistency to be a WR2 on a team with Super Bowl aspirations. Brown is a speedster, too, but he has a more developed skillset that can complement the route-running and veteran savvy of Kelce and Hopkins while allowing Worthy to remain in his role as a home run threat.

Brown signed a one-year, $7MM contract with the Chiefs during the offseason after catching just 51 of his 101 targets for a career-low 574 yards in 2023 with the Cardinals. He was expected to be the latest speedy receiver to find success in Kansas City with Mahomes and Andy Reid, but played just one snap in the preseason before injuring his shoulder.

Brown has dealt with a myriad of injuries dating back to a Lisfranc injury in his last year of college, which combined with his undersized frame to cause pre-draft concerns about his durability in the NFL. However, he played in at least 12 games in each of his first five seasons with an average of 14.4 appearances per year.

Chiefs Considering WR Acquisition?

September 30th, 2024 at 10:15pm CST by Ben Levine

With Rashee Rice potentially out for the season and Marquise Brown sidelined until at least the playoffs, the Chiefs may have to look for outside help at wide receiver. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport expects the Chiefs to “go out and look at options” at the position, with a trade being “at least” in consideration.

Rapoport notes that the Chiefs front office is generally “open minded” and considers every opportunity as they look to plug holes, so a trade would surely be a logical route for the WR-needy squad. Rapoport points to the team’s sudden acquisition of Kadarius Toney in 2022, which came as the organization was navigating a post-Tyreek Hill era.

One potential name that Rapoport points to is Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. The Titans are currently 0-3, and if they continue going the wrong way in the standings, there’s a good chance the veteran wideout will be available at the trade deadline. Rapoport also notes that popular trade candidate Amari Cooper could fit the Chiefs payroll thanks to his low base salary, but the reporter rejects the idea of Jaguars wideout Christian Kirk fitting into the cap sheet.

Rookie first-round WR Xavier Worthy got into a career-high 45 snaps yesterday and will likely join Travis Kelce as one of Patrick Mahomes‘ preferred targets moving forward. The team has also leaned on the likes of Justin Watson and JuJu Smith-Schuster for about half of their offensive snaps through the first month of the season, and Skyy Moore and Mecole Hardman got extended cameos yesterday after Rice was knocked out of the game. Rapoport notes that Brown could return to the Chiefs in time for the postseason, but it’s unlikely the offense will be hanging their hopes on the injured receiver.

As for Rice, Josina Anderson reports that the receiver is seeking “at least” a second opinion on his injured knee in an attempt to “gather additional information.” The Chiefs have also discussed “potential windows for surgery.” ESPN’s Adam Schefter adds that there “remains uncertainty” surrounding the extend of Rice’s injury, and more tests will be required before the team can set a definitive timetable.

Chiefs’ Marquise Brown To Miss 2024 Season

September 14th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

Shortly after Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown was placed on injured reserve ahead of undergoing shoulder surgery, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Brown is expected to miss the entire 2024 regular season. We had already been told by head coach Andy Reid that Brown’s recovery period had been adjusted to “months” and not “weeks,” but the sternoclavicular injury will seemingly keep Brown from returning this year.

Brown signed a one-year, $7MM deal with the Chiefs this offseason after finishing out his rookie contact with the Cardinals. Originally a Ravens Day 1 selection, Brown was impressive over his time in Baltimore, scoring 21 touchdowns over those three seasons and breaking the 1,000-yard receiving mark in his final year with the team. The Ravens surprisingly included him in a draft day trade that allowed them to move back into the first round and select Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum.

During his two years in Arizona, Brown failed to find the same consistent success in the endzone. Though he twice finished second on the team in receiving yards, Brown only secured seven touchdowns during his time as a Cardinal. That hurt his free agent market during the offseason, although with a career yards per reception average of 11.6, the 27-year-old represented one of the top speedsters available and positioned himself to handle a notable role in Kansas City. Now, any game action he sees this campaign will come during the playoffs.

Consistency at the receiver position was an issue for the Chiefs in 2023, with the team’s passing efficiency not reaching its previous heights en route to a second straight Super Bowl title. Brown’s signing was followed by the decision to draft Xavier Worthy in the first round. The latter enjoyed an impressive debut (68 scrimmage yards, two total touchdowns) while logging a 63% snap share and he will be counted on to operate as a key vertical threat in Brown’s absence.

Since 2023 second-rounder Rashee Rice is set to continue playing without the threat of any suspension for the time being, he will remain a focal point for Kansas City’s offense. The team also has familiar faces in Mecole Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster in place after Hardman was re-acquired midway through last season and Smith-Schuster returned to the team following his Patriots release. The Chiefs’ depth chart is rounded out by Skyy Moore and Justin Watson as things stand.

With roughly $6MM in cap space, Kansas City does not have nearly as much spending power as many other teams at the moment. That would make an outside addition challenging, but the team has a number of other pass catchers (including, of course, All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce) to rely on. For Brown, meanwhile, his attention will turn to recovery once his operation takes place ahead of what will no doubt be a relatively tepid free agent Market next spring.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Chiefs Place Marquise Brown On IR; WR To Undergo Shoulder Surgery

September 13th, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

10:05pm: Brown has officially be moved to IR. When addressing his situation, head coach Andy Reid said Brown’s recovery timeline is now “months not weeks” (h/t ESPN’s Adam Schefter). That ensures he will miss more than the four-week minimum as Kansas City moves forward without Brown in the fold for the foreseeable future.

11:03am: Marquise Brown‘s SC joint injury will further delay his Chiefs debut. The veteran wideout is being placed on injured reserve, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports.

The move comes after testing revealed Brown’s injury has not healed correctly, Schultz adds. To ensure a proper recovery, the free agent pickup will undergo a procedure on Monday. Moving to injured reserve will guarantee at least a four-week absence after Brown already missed Kansas City’s season opener.

The 27-year-old suffered the injury in mid-August, and his initial recovery timeline left his Week 1 availability in doubt. He appeared to be making progress, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently reported Brown did not suffer a broken bone. That differentiates his situation from that of Tyreek Hill in 2019 when he suffered a similar injury, but in spite of that Brown will be sidelined for a notable stretch.

The Oklahoma product managed a 1,000-yard season during his third and final Ravens campaign, but his stint in Baltimore generally fell short of expectations. After asking to be dealt, Brown spent the 2022 and ’23 campaigns in Arizona. He saw his yards per reception average dip to 10.9 across that span, but he was still viewed as one of the top vertical options in the receiver free agent market. Kansas City inked him to a one-year deal with a base value of $7MM. Another $4MM is in place via incentives, but Brown’s ability to reach those will be impacted by his extended absence.

Adding at the receiver spot was an offseason priority for the Chiefs, and they followed up the Brown signing by moving up on Day 1 of the draft and selecting Xavier Worthy. The 40-yard dash record-holder had a strong NFL debut by scoring a pair of touchdowns, and he will be counted to remain an impact player in the passing attack. Kansas City also has Rashee Rice, Justin Watson, Skyy Moore, Mecole Hardman and JuJu Smith-Schuster in place on the depth chart.

Brown will be sidelined for the four games remaining until the Chiefs’ bye week. He will be eligible to return after that point, though bringing him back into the fold will use one of the team’s eight allotted IR activations.

Injury Notes: Bears, Walker, Murray, Bosa

September 11th, 2024 at 9:17pm CST by Ben Levine

The Bears got good news surrounding the knee injury that knocked Rome Odunze out of Sunday’s season opener. Per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, the rookie wide receiver suffered a Grade 1 knee sprain, the “best-case scenario” for the team and player.

Odunze suffered his MCL injury while blocking for Velus Jones Jr. during a fourth-quarter screen pass. The rookie stayed in the game for one additional play before exiting for good. The wideout is officially considered week-to-week, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and there’s been no indication that the ninth-overall pick will have a stay on injured reserve. Coach Matt Eberflus said the Bears were “lucky” to avoid a serious injury, and he even kept the door open to Odunze playing in Week 2.

Wednesday’s injury report also showed that fellow receiver Keenan Allen didn’t practice while nursing a heel injury. Eberflus later clarified that the wideout was considered day-to-day, and there’s hope the offseason acquisition can hit the practice field on Thursday and Friday following his day off.

In the unlikely event that both Odunze and Allen are sidelined, the Bears’ deep wide receiver grouping will be down to just D.J. Moore. Rookie QB Caleb Williams is certainly hoping for his full arsenal of wideouts following an NFL debut where he completed only 14 of 29 pass attempts for 93 yards.

More injury notes from around the NFL…

Kenneth Walker left Sunday’s game with an oblique injury and didn’t practice on Wednesday, per the Seahawks‘ injury report. Mike Macdonald said the running back is day-to-day (via ESPN’s Brady Henderson), but another missed practice would obviously put the player’s Week 2 availability in doubt. Walker exited the season opener after compiling 103 rushing yards and one touchdown. Zach Charbonnet finished the game at running back, scoring a 30-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Kyler Murray was a full participant at today’s practice, but the Cardinals QB still showed up on the injury report with a knee injury. Murray, of course, suffered an ACL injury during the 2022 campaign, and 2024 represented his first healthy offseason in a few years. Murray didn’t miss a snap on Sunday, and it seemed like his knee was in good shape after he ran for 57 yards. Clayton Tune is the only other QB currently on the active roster.
The Chargers announced that Joey Bosa was a limited participant at Wednesday’s practice while dealing with a back injury. The pass rusher appeared in 60 percent of his team’s defensive snaps in Week 1, collecting a sack and a forced fumble along the way. The long-time Charger has been snake bitten by injuries over the past few years, missing 20 total games.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport passes along a list of other notable players who didn’t practice on Wednesday, including Bengals receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring), Chiefs receiver Marquise Brown (shoulder), Browns tight end David Njoku (ankle), Packers quarterback Jordan Love (MCL), and Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hip/hamstring).

Marquise Brown Expected To Miss Chiefs’ Week 1 Matchup

August 30th, 2024 at 12:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Kansas City’s receiving corps looks quite different from the group it trotted out to open last season. While the Chiefs ultimately won Super Bowl LVIII anyway, they made the expected call to revamp their pass-catching contingent this offseason.

One of the players brought in, as expected, will not be available to open the season. After suffering an injury during the Chiefs’ preseason opener, Marquise Brown is not expected to play in Week 1 against the Ravens, per Andy Reid.

The former Baltimore first-rounder sustained an SC joint injury comparable to Tyreek Hill‘s from 2019. The all-time great went down in Week 1 of the ’19 season and did not return until Week 6 that year. Brown suffered his injury August 10, potentially putting Kansas City’s Week 2 matchup — after the upcoming post-Thursday mini-bye — in play for the free agent signing’s debut.

Reid’s early assessment of Brown’s status comes after SI.com’s Albert Breer indicated the former Ravens and Cardinals starter would miss early-season time. The Chiefs open with the Ravens and Bengals, potentially needing to count on others against Cincinnati as well. Since signing Brown, however, the two-time reigning champions added Xavier Worthy in Round 1, re-signed Mecole Hardman and reunited with JuJu Smith-Schuster after the Patriots cut bait. With Travis Kelce available after missing last season’s opener, the Chiefs appear better equipped than they were against the Lions last year.

While Brett Veach compared the injury to Hill’s 2019 malady, the eighth-year GM is optimistic. Kansas City’s decision to leave Brown on the active roster, rather than use a cutdown-day IR-return designation, reflects the team’s belief the offseason pickup can come back soon. Brown would have been down for at least four games had Kansas City placed him on IR.

“I probably can confidently say it was similar to Tyreek, and I think given that timeline I think it falls within the timeline that Tyreek went through, but I know he’s here every day,” Veach said. “He’s to the point now where he can laugh without pain, so that’s a good thing. He’s certainly trending in the right direction, and look, there was a reason why we didn’t put him on the IR to start the season.”

Brown has gone through some injury bouts as a pro. A Lisfranc issue plagued him as a rookie, though the 2019 draftee played 14 games that year. The Cardinals rarely saw a fully healthy Brown. More foot trouble intervened last season, causing Brown to miss five games in 2022. The Oklahoma alum also played through a heel injury for much of the 2023 season, ultimately missing three games. The Chiefs will hope for a September return.

Latest On Chiefs WR Marquise Brown

August 12th, 2024 at 5:02pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Chiefs’ receiving corps took a hit in their preseason debut when Marquise Brown suffered an SC joint injury. The worst-case scenario has been avoided, though, and as such Brown could still make his Kansas City debut in the season opener.

Brown was hospitalized as a result of the injury, but head coach Andy Reid said on Monday (via Nate Taylor of The Athletic) surgery was not required in this instance. That is a positive development, and Reid added he has not yet ruled Brown out for Week 1. Kansas City’s first game will come on Thursday night to kick off the 2024 campaign.

“Yeah, we’ll see,” Reid said during his press conference (video link). “We’ll see how that goes. But without him in there and his experience and that in the league… we’ve also got some other guys who can step in and play. We’ll be OK there, but we’re pulling for him to get back, obviously.”

Adding at the receiver spot was a key priority for the Chiefs this offseason. Brown signed a one-year deal to operate as a deep threat coming off his three years in Baltimore and two in Arizona. The expiration of his rookie contract did not yield a long-term commitment for the former first-rounder, with consistency being an issue so far in his career. Brown could parlay a productive season in Kansas City into a strong market in 2025, though.

The 27-year-old will be joined by returnees Rashee Rice, Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, Mecole Hardman and Justin Watson in the WR room. The Chiefs added further to that group on Day 1 of the draft by selecting Xavier Worthy. The latter broke the all-time 40-yard dash record at the Combine and expectations are high for him to provide Kansas City with a vertical threat early and often in his career.

Brown – who has one 1,000-yard campaign on his resume and has averaged 11.6 yards per catch over his career – will look to give his new team a similar option when healthy. Any long-term absence should not be expected in any case, but Reid’s comments point to Week 1 still being a possibility for Brown.

Chiefs WR Marquise Brown To Miss Time

August 11th, 2024 at 8:41pm CST by Rory Parks

8:41PM: Schefter provided an update this evening that Brown has arrived back in Kansas City following his release from the Jacksonville-area hospital he spent the night in. Schefter adds that, a day after his diagnosis, Brown’s status for the Chiefs’ regular season opener versus Brown’s former team, the Ravens, is still uncertain at this point.

8:17AM: Chiefs wide receiver Marquise Brown sustained a dislocation of the sternoclavicular (SC) joint in his left shoulder during last night’s preseason opener against the Jaguars, per ESPN’s Adam Teicher. The 27-year-old receiver was hospitalized, because as ESPN injury analyst Stephania Bell writes, SC joint dislocation can be particularly serious due to its potential to impact critical blood vessels. Luckily, Brown was discharged from the hospital this morning and cleared to return to Kansas City, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

“Hollywood” suffered the injury on the first play of the game, catching an 11-yard pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes before being tackled and landing awkwardly on the shoulder. Significant injuries to key starters in exhibition contests always lead to a few raised eyebrows, but head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy wanted the first-year Chief to get his feet wet in live action as soon as possible.

The Chiefs’ underwhelming WR corps was a major storyline for the club last season, and while they ultimately secured a Super Bowl victory despite the struggles of some of their top pass catchers, they made a concerted effort to give Mahomes a more explosive arsenal this offseason. That included the acquisition of Brown, whose speed and route-running abilities put one in mind of a lesser version of former Kansas City standout Tyreek Hill.

Interestingly, as Nate Taylor of The Athletic (subscription required) reminds us, Brown’s injury is similar to the one that Hill himself suffered in 2019’s regular season opener (also against the Jaguars). Hill ultimately missed 34 days, and Taylor says the injury will require surgery that comes with a recovery time of four to six weeks. That timeline would force Brown to miss the regular season opener against the Ravens and jeopardize his availability for KC’s next two games as well.

Despite Brown’s speed and separation ability, he has never posted gaudy yards-per-reception numbers and has topped the 1,000-yard mark just once in his five-year career. Of course, he played on run-heavy offenses during his first three seasons in the league as a member of the Ravens – which is what compelled him to request a trade out of Baltimore – and over the last two years with the Cardinals, he played with seven different QBs while dealing with a few injury concerns.

His limited production in the desert put a damper on his market this offseason, and he ultimately signed a one-year, $7MM deal (plus up to $4MM in incentives) with Kansas City, which is a fine place for a talented receiver to play out a pillow contract given the presence of Reid and Mahomes. Brown and Mahomes had reportedly built a strong rapport over the course of offseason practices and training camp, a connection that will now be put on pause for a time.

First-round rookie Xavier Worthy, another speed merchant, will be relied upon more heavily in Brown’s absence. The Chiefs’ expect second-year pro Rashee Rice, the club’s top receiver in 2023, to be suspended for his offseason legal issues, though it remains to be seen when that ban will be handed down.

Cardinals Rumors: Brown, Moore, Humphries

March 24th, 2024 at 10:09am CST by Rory Parks

The Cardinals are open to trading the No. 4 overall pick in next month’s draft, a move which would net them additional high-end draft capital while still allowing them to select one of the best wide receivers in a class full of receiving talent. And given that Arizona has parted ways with Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore this offseason, the club’s need for multiple pass catchers to support quarterback Kyler Murray is particularly glaring.

Here’s the latest from the desert, starting with a couple of notes on those recently-departed wideouts:

Brown ultimately signed a one-year, $7MM contract with the Chiefs, a deal that includes an additional $4MM in incentives. “Hollywood” had previously expressed interest in re-signing with the Cardinals, and Mike Jurecki of Arizona Football Daily confirms that Brown indeed hoped to return to Arizona even as he was garnering league-wide interest. However, the Cardinals never attempted to match or better KC’s offer, so the speedy wideout will work alongside Patrick Mahomes & Co. as he eyes a lucrative multiyear pact in 2025.
Moore, meanwhile, was traded to the Falcons, and he will apparently welcome the change of scenery that the Kirk Cousins-led outfit will provide. Despite working with two different play-callers over his first three professional seasons, Moore felt he was not given enough opportunities in the vertical passing game and ran too many horizontal routes, as ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss details. Moore will also be eligible for free agency in 2025, and while there are a number of talented skill position players on Atlanta’s roster, the soon-to-be 24-year-old could become a key ancillary target in a high-upside offense.
Even if the Cardinals select a top-tier WR prospect like Marvin Harrison Jr. or Malik Nabers, the club could certainly add another receiver or two later on in the draft, especially given their need at the position and the strength of this year’s class. To that end, as Jurecki notes, the team recently scheduled a “30” visit with Texas WR Xavier Worthy, who set a Scouting Combine record with a 4.21-second 40-yard dash and whom NFL.com draft guru Daniel Jeremiah referred to as a taller version of Brown. The Colts also have a visit scheduled with Worthy.
Earlier this month, the Cardinals released OT D.J. Humphries, who had spent his entire career with the club since being selected in the first round of the 2015 draft. Financially, the release was an easy call for GM Monti Ossenfort, as Humphries tore his ACL at the end of the 2023 campaign and is therefore uncertain to play in 2024, when he was due to carry a $22MM cap charge. Emotionally, however, Ossenfort called the move “brutal,” saying, “the salary cap and the way things are set up and the way contracts work, it put us in a very tough situation. I can’t say enough about how I feel about D.J. as a football player and moreso as a person. His energy, and the leadership he brought to this team, we are certainly going to miss him. I hope nothing but the best for him in his recovery and his rehab” (via Darren Urban of the team’s official website).
The Cardinals added Jonah Williams in free agency this year and drafted Paris Johnson with the No. 6 overall pick in last year’s draft, and they are still rostering veteran Kelvin Beachum. Nonetheless, Ossenfort left to the door open to a Humphries reunion once Humphries’ rehab is complete.
Ossenfort has been busy fortifying his defensive line this offseason, adding Bilal Nichols, Justin Jones, and Khyiris Tonga in free agency. Nichols and Jones landed notable multiyear deals, while Tonga signed a one-year, $1.75MM accord, per CardsWire’s Howard Balzer. Still, Ossenfort thinks highly of Tonga and cited his size and the strength of his performance near the end of his tenure with the Vikings as reasons for his belief that the former seventh-round pick could carve out a meaningful role in the desert.

Chiefs To Sign WR Marquise Brown

March 14th, 2024 at 10:45pm CST by Ben Levine

Following a season of inconsistency from Chiefs receivers, the organization is adding a notable name to Patrick Mahomes‘ arsenal. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Chiefs are signing wideout Marquise Brown.

“Hollywood” is signing a one-year deal worth up to $11MM, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Albert Breer of TheMMQB clarifies that the former first-round pick will earn a $7MM base with another $4MM via incentives and/or bonuses.

While free agency’s other top receivers (Calvin Ridley, Gabe Davis) earned multi-year deals, Brown ultimately had to settle for a one-year prove-it deal before hitting the market again next offseason. That arrangement seemingly intrigued a number of teams, as Russini notes that Brown garnered interest “from all around the league.”

It was uncertain if the Chiefs would be willing to open up the checkbook for an offensive weapon this soon. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport noted the prevailing sentiment was that the organization needed to trade L’Jarius Sneed before making a big-name signing. Instead, the Chiefs locked up a talented wideout on a reasonable deal.

Brown’s career has been highlighted by his own inconsistency. He started his career tied to one of the NFL’s most run-heavy offenses, but he still managed to build on his numbers in each of his three seasons with the Ravens. This culminated in a 2021 campaign where he topped 1,000 yards from scrimmage, although his six touchdowns marked his lowest total during his Baltimore tenure.

Despite the growing offensive role, Brown expressed discontent with his team’s offense and asked for a trade. The Ravens found a taker in Arizona, with the Cardinals sending a first-round pick for Brown and a third-round selection in 2022. The move reunited Brown with his college quarterback in Kyler Murray, but the receiver wasn’t able to elevate his play during his time in the desert.

Of course, that wasn’t entirely Brown’s fault. The Cardinals started seven different QBs over the past two seasons, which was thanks in part to Murray suffering an ACL tear during the 2022 finale. Brown struggled with his own injury woes, battling through foot and heel issues over the past two years. After finishing with 67 catches for 709 yards during his first season in Arizona, Brown was limited to only 51 catches for a career-low 574 yards in 2023.

Still, Brown provides the Chiefs with a high-upside target, and they’ve showed that they can win despite WR issues. Rashee Rice emerged as a rookie in 2023, and Travis Kelce will continue to command many of Mahomes’ targets. But other than that duo, the QB’s top options included the likes of Skyy Moore, Justin Watson, and Kadarius Toney.

Just Brown’s 1,000-yard pedigree gives him a higher upside than many of his teammates. Entering his age-27 season, Brown could help the offense rebound following a relatively underwhelming regular-season performance in 2023.

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