NFL Trade Rumors: Kansas City Chiefs Plan to Activate Wide Receiver Marquise Brown for Week 16

A Kansas City Chiefs pass-catcher is finally ready to make his regular-season debut. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Chiefs plan to activate former Arizona Cardinals and Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown for Week 16's game against the Houston Texans.

The #Chiefs plan to activate Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown (reserve/injured, shoulder) for Saturday’s game vs. Houston assuming everything continues trending positively this week, per sources.

Brown looks to make his Chiefs debut after missing four months. pic.twitter.com/v88o3qoQPz
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) December 19, 2024

The Chiefs signed Brown to a one-year, $7 million contract this offseason, but he suffered a shoulder injury in the preseason that required surgery and an extensive stint on injured reserve. The Chiefs activated his practice window last week, and he has progressed enough to potentially see the field on Saturday.

Brown is the latest in a long line of speedy wideouts the Chiefs have gambled on since trading away All-Pro Tyreek Hill. Despite their success, the lack of an explosive element has been abundantly clear on the Chiefs offense in recent years.

Since 2023, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been held to a middling 6.13 net yards per attempt after averaging a remarkable 7.53 through the first 80 games of his career. Consequently, the Chiefs appear poised to finish outside the top 10 for points scored for the second straight season.

At 5'9" and 180 lbs with blazing speed, Brown entered the league as a first-round pick with a similar physical profile as Hill. However, he never quite emerged as a downfield threat. With a career mark of 11.6 yards per reception at an inefficient 6.9 yards per target, Brown has failed to demonstrate an ability to separate consistently in his time with the Cardinals and the Ravens.

Mahomes suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 15 against the Cleveland Browns, and his availability for Saturday is in doubt. Still, if he and Brown can establish a connection in the little time they have, the Chiefs will radically improve their chances of winning a third straight Super Bowl.