The Kansas City Chiefs are reigning back-to-back Super Bowl champions, though their receiving corps has left something to be desired since the team shipped Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins.
The Chiefs attempted to rectify that this offseason by drafting Xavier Worthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft and signing Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to a one-year deal in free agency.
Worthy’s acquisition has proven to be a boon so far, as the rookie receiver scored two touchdowns in his NFL debut against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. Brown, on the other hand, has been dealing with a shoulder injury since training camp and the latest news about him does not sound good.
Brown’s placement on injured reserve means he will miss at least the next four games. Head coach Andy Reid went on to confirm Friday that Brown’s recovery will likely take him well past that minimum. SC joint reconstruction timelines typically can take up to 13 weeks of recovery, though some require a the 4-6 month timeline. It’s possible that Brown — who was expected to be a game-time decision for Week 2 prior to this news — will make a quicker recovery, but Chiefs fans should be prepared for the worst.
From the Chiefs perspective, Brown’s injury hurts, but it doesn’t completely ruin their new-look offense. Worthy and second-year receiver Rashee Rice appear to the starters at wide receiver and tight end Travis Kelce remains one of the best in the business even as he ages deeper into his 30s. With additional contributions coming from Skyy Moore, Justin Watson and JuJu Smith-Schuster, the Chiefs receiver room is as deep as it is explosive.
It could be that Brown is handed a starting role upon his return, but that would probably take poor performances from the rest of Kansas City’s receiver room in order to happen. More likely, Brown will be pushed down the depth chart and asked to make limited contributions as a go-route specialist.
This is a blow to the 27-year-old receiver, who was expected to be one of the stars in the Chiefs’ passing game this season. Since being selected in the first-round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Brown has recorded 313 receptions, 3,644 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns over 72 career games with the Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals. He’s dropped just 23 passes on 525 career targets, making him one of the most sure-handed receivers in the league.
