The defending Super Bowl champions will soon get another key piece on offense.
Wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown received medical clearance to return to practice, a person familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the sensitivity of the matter. Brown is expected to have his 21-day practice window opened soon.
NFL Media was the first to report the news.
Brown injured his sternoclavicular joint during the preseason and was placed on injured reserve in September. The speedy wide receiver signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs in March. He spent his first three years in Baltimore and the last two seasons in Arizona before signing with the Chiefs. He has yet to play a regular-season game for Kansas City.
The Chiefs are optimistic Brown will be able to play before the end of the regular season.
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What Marquise “Hollywood” Brown can add to Chiefs offense
The Chiefs signed Brown to help Kansas City’s offense generate explosive plays. The sixth-year wide receiver has averaged more than 10 yards a catch in every season of his career.
Rashee Rice, who led all Kansas City receivers in catches and receiving yards last year, suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 4. Rice was the team’s leading receiver at the time of his injury.
The Chiefs acquired veteran DeAndre Hopkins in October to help fill Rice’s void at receiver. Hopkins is tied for the team lead in touchdown receptions (4) despite only playing in seven games in Kansas City.
Brown and Chiefs 2024 first-round pick Xavier Worthy give the Chiefs two wide receivers who can stretch the field. While Hopkins is more of a possession receiver who thrives in short and intermediate routes. Plus, the Chiefs have nine-time Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce.
The Chiefs are averaging 227 passing yards a game. They averaged 246 yards last season. Brown provides Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense another weapon on the outside, considering he returns to form.
Hopkins, Brown, Worthy and JuJu Smith-Schuster could be the Chiefs’ top four wide receivers as they enter their postseason journey.