KC’s Wide Receiver Room Affected by Hollywood Brown’s Injury: Could the Chiefs Reunite with Their Former WR1?

The team’s anticipated top wide receiver, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, will “miss some time” following his sternoclavicular injury sustained on the opening play of the Kansas City Chiefs’ first preseason game in 2024, head coach Andy Reid said. What effect does Brown’s injury have on the Chiefs’ crowded wide receiver room, and is it possible that a well-known player will return?

First, let’s address the roster-space problem that Brown’s injury makes worse. Apart from Brown, it appears that Justin Watson, Xavier Worthy, and Rashee Rice are the only wide receivers who are locked in. Although Rice could still receive a suspension from the league, as the regular season draws near, it appears

It’s seeming more likely that Rice won’t be disciplined by the league until the legal process is completed. If Brown misses at least Week 1, there isn’t much the Chiefs can do with his roster slot as he heals. Brown would still need to be on the team’s original active 53-man roster even if he were to be placed on the injured reserve list, which at this point seems improbable given that he would miss the first four weeks of the season. In the event that Rice is suspended, there will be four confirmed wide receiver roster positions, leaving six or possibly seven vacant spots overall.

What does all of that signify for the receivers on the Chiefs? I believe it helps one current player secure a spot on the roster.

Mecole Hardman, the team’s current player, might already have a guaranteed position. Hardman re-signed with the Chiefs late in the offseason, and he will be starting his sixth season with the team after beginning the previous one with the New York Jets. The now-veteran Hardman felt, in some ways, like Rice and Worthy insurance, giving KC a guy who can fill a variety of useful roles in Andy Reid’s system both in the event that the second-year player is suspended and while the rookie gets up to speed. Hardman’s insurance coverage can now cover Brown, even though Rice might avoid being suspended in 2024 and Worthy has looked explosive in training camp.

Hardman’s ceiling is less thrilling now in his career than it was in his formative years.

He is a well-known entity. Under certain conditions, that can seem negative. Hardman’s assurance distinguishes him from Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney, and Justyn Ross for the Chiefs. It has been challenging to rely on that alluring triumvirate due to injuries and/or play quality issues. Despite his shortcomings, Hardman offers some consistency.

JuJu Smith-Schuster was released by the New England Patriots on August 9. The possibility of Smith-Schuster returning to Kansas City was something to talk about even before Brown’s injury. How about right now?

Despite KC’s recent successes, Smith-Schuster’s brief Chiefs tenure—which included a Super Bowl victory—seems to be lost in the mix. In 2022, Travis Kelce led the Chiefs in receiving yards; nevertheless, Smith-Schuster was the team’s top wide receiver by a significant margin, with 933 receiving yards during the regular season and surpassing 1,000 yards in the postseason. Before injuries that have plagued Smith-Schuster for much of his career derailed him during his time in New England, that campaign set him up for a strong contract offer from the Patriots.

Though Smith-Schuster’s lackluster performance in 11 games, seven starts, and 260 yards in New England are very concerning, you should also recall what Smith-Schuster accomplished in 2021 prior to joining the Chiefs in ’22. He was limited to just five games during the regular season before sustaining a shoulder injury in Week 5. That’s definitely not the same as persistent knee problems that seem to have limited Smith-Schuster’s potential as a player, but it’s still important to remember that the Chiefs were prepared to wager on Smith-Schuster’s past success when they were able to get him at a discount. Now that a basic contract is probably going to close a deal, that’s a low-risk bet that might be worthwhile.

Moore, Toney, Ross, or Nikko Remigio would lose their roster place if the Chiefs decide to call up Smith-Schuster. Only one or maybe two of the pair would make the active squad as things stand right now. In the end, Smith-Schuster might be hoping to sign with a team where he could see more playing time than he would likely get in Kansas City, and the Chiefs might be happy with their own solutions, but if both sides are open to a reunion, he could give the group some more stability before and after Brown returns.

For the time being, I would just about wager that the Chiefs would remain with their younger group and rely on Hardman and Watson to fill in for Brown, who might not be out long. Still,I would make that call right away if Rice receives information from the league while Smith-Schuster is still available.