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USATSI

The back-to-back Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs have three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes at quarterback and nine-time Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce. 

Their presence alone automatically provides the Chiefs with a strong passing game. However, their wide receiver group is a different story. In 2023, their receiver position group led the NFL in drops (28) and drop rate (12%), according to SportRadar. So despite not having much salary cap room after re-signing All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, Kansas City is signing 2019 first-round pick wide receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown to a one-year contract worth up to $11 million. 

NFL media first reported the terms of the newest Chief's contract, and CBS Sports lead NFL insider Jonathan Jones confirmed the details. Brown himself also co-signed the news, tweeting "Blessed beyond measures...Chiefs Kingdom let's rock."

Mahomes also co-signed the acquisition by simply posting a smiley face emoji. 

Brown, who turns 27 on June 4, totaled 118 catches, 1,283 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns in 26 games played with the Arizona Cardinals after coming over via trade from the Baltimore Ravens, who selected him with the 25th overall pick in 2019. His last season catching passes from two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson in 2021 remains his career high-water mark as he produced career-bests in catches (91) and receiving yards (1,008) to go along with 6 receiving touchdowns. 

Some of his struggles with Arizona can be attributed to not having as much of an opportunity to catch passes from his college quarterback and Cardinals Pro Bowler Kyler Murray. Murray tore his ACL in Week 14 of the 2022, and he didn't return to game action until Week 10 of the 2023 season. 

Brown's best attribute is his speed and the vertical downfield threat that speed provides. Alongside the emerging Rashee Rice and Kelce, Mahomes now has an even stronger top three options to choose from in 2024 as Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore and Justin Watson all took turns chipping in at varying degrees of success throughout the season. Now, the deep ball can return to Mahomes' and the Chiefs' arsenal for the first time since they traded away Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins in 2022.