Former Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown is predicted to signal a one-year deal value as much as $11 million with the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, sources advised ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Thursday night time.
The transfer offers quarterback Patrick Mahomes the improve at huge receiver the staff had been trying to find for the reason that Tremendous Bowl.
The Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers for his or her second straight Lombardi Trophy final month regardless of one of many least productive huge receiver teams within the NFL. Rookie Rashee Rice developed into a robust possibility within the passing recreation, however the Chiefs in any other case have been left to depend on journeymen and stopgaps as they chased one other title.
Mahomes accomplished 77% of his passes with six passing TDs and no interceptions when concentrating on Rice; that quantity dropped to 57% when concentrating on every other huge receiver, in addition to extra interceptions (9) than touchdowns (six). The drop charge of all different receivers exterior of Rice was additionally over 3 times as excessive (3% to 10%).
Brown now could possibly be the right complement to Rice in a new-look assault that features just lately signed tight finish Irv Smith Jr. alongside star tight finish Travis Kelce.
In an Instagram publish Thursday night time, Brown wrote “Blessed Past Measures…Excited To Be Aside Of Chiefskingdom” whereas posting an image of himself in a Chiefs uniform. Additionally within the publish, he included a screenshot of a recruiting pitch Chiefs coach Andy Reid apparently despatched him earlier within the day.
Brown, who was traded to the Cardinals by the Ravens in 2022, didn’t get the long-term deal he was searching for main into the 2023 marketing campaign and was hampered by a heel damage final season.
Accidents have develop into a latest issue for Brown, who hasn’t performed a full season since 2020.
Brown, who turns 27 on June 4, completed 2023 with a career-low 574 yards in 14 video games. He had 51 catches and 4 touchdowns on 101 targets, his third straight yr with triple-digit targets. Nevertheless, he set profession lows with yards-per-target common (5.68) and yards after catch (164).
He entered the NFL because the twenty fifth decide within the 2019 draft by the Ravens. He has 313 profession receptions for 3,644 yards and 28 touchdowns. His lone 1,000-yard season got here in 2021, when he caught 91 passes for 1,008 yards for Baltimore.
ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss, ESPN Stats & Data and The Related Press contributed to this report.