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Adam Teicher, ESPN Staff Writer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The last time wide receiver Marquise Brown played a full season, he topped 90 catches and 1,000 yards with the Baltimore Ravens in 2021.
The Kansas City Chiefs haven’t had a wide receiver with such numbers since Tyreek Hill‘s final season with the team, also in 2021. Brown was limited to 12 games because of injuries in each of the last two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.
But his big 2021 numbers give him a good chance of being the next Chiefs wide receiver to break 1,000 yards.
“That’s probably what I’m excited about the most being here is to just put my best foot forward and show what I could do,” Brown said this week after signing his one-year contract with the Chiefs. “I feel like I’ll be able to showcase my skill set.
“I feel like I can affect all three levels of the game — short, intermediate, and deep. I feel like times in Baltimore and in Arizona I showed facets of things that I could do but not on a consistent basis. So I feel here guys are interchangeable. We can complement each other and that way the best can come out of everyone.”
JuJu Smith-Schuster was the Chiefs’ wide receiving leader in 2022 with 933 yards. Rookie Rashee Rice might have reached 1,000 yards last season, but sat out the season’s final game and finished with 938 yards.
The Chiefs have no obvious wide receiving candidates to reach 1,000 yards outside of Rice or Brown. Justin Watson had 460 yards last season. Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore and Justyn Ross gave the Chiefs little last season. Marquez Valdes-Scantling was released. Mecole Hardman and Richie James are free agents.
There’s room on the roster for more wide receivers, so it’s likely the Chiefs add at least one more either through the draft, free agency or a trade.
The Chiefs added veteran tight end Irv Smith Jr. in free agency, who caught 18 passes in 12 games last season for the Cincinnati Bengals. He will join Travis Kelce and Noah Gray, and gives the Chiefs the opportunity to use the multiple tight end formations they’ve favored with Andy Reid as coach.
The Chiefs used two tight ends, called 12 personnel, 28% of the time last year and three tight ends (13 personnel) on 7% of their snaps. Both percentages were fourth-highest in the league.
“I see myself bringing some youth to the room, some juice,” said Smith, 25, a second-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2019. “I see myself having an impact in the run game [and] the pass game, any way I can help the team. I feel like I’m a versatile player.
“At the end of the day, we’re going to be getting each other open and feeding off each other. I’m an unselfish guy. I’ve been a part of a lot of heavy 12 personnel teams and 13. I feel that’s where I thrive best.”
