The Kansas City Chiefs made a big upgrade to their offense when they signed wide receiver Marquise Brown. However, a shoulder injury has now sidelined Brown for the foreseeable future.
With the man they called Hollywood down, Kansas City has turned to Justin Watson in his place. Watson has received many of the reps Brown would be getting if he were on the field, via Adam Teicher of ESPN.
Brown is scheduled to miss four to six weeks after dislocating a joint in his shoulder. He won't require surgery, but the speedster is in danger of missing Week 1. While the rest of the preseason could shake things up, Watson seems most likely to start next to Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy should Brown be forced to miss regular season playing time.
After beginning his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Watson has spent the last two seasons in Kansas City. With the Buccaneers winning the Super Bowl in 2021 and the Chiefs going back-to-back, Watson has earned three straight championship rings. Perhaps his Super Bowl pedigree has given him a boost up the depth chart.
His 2023 campaign saw Watson catch 27 passes for 460 yards and three touchdowns; all career-highs. He tied for the second-most receptions on the team amongst wide receivers while his yardage and touchdown catches put him behind just Rice.
Over his entire six year NFL career, Justin Watson has caught 65 passes for 1,033 yards and seven touchdowns. He would have a major opportunity to improve those numbers should he earn a starting role heading into Week 1.
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs need wide receiver help
While the Chiefs have the future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce, Kansas City needed more playmaking ability on the outside. That was the whole reason they signed Brown. But at least early in the year, they'll be forced to look elsewhere.
One immediate option will be first-round pick Xavier Worthy. After breaking the NFL combine record in the 40-yard dash, Worthy is ready to bring his jets to the Chiefs. He was a force during his three years at Texas, catching 197 passes for 2,755 yards and 26 touchdowns.
Watson and Worthy will be joined by Rice, who developed into the de facto leader in the wide receiver room in 2023. He led all Kansas City receivers with 79 catches for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. He will once again be looked at as one of Patrick Mahomes' most trustworthy targets.
With two years of experience under his belt now, Justin Watson is looking to join him. When Marquise Brown does return, Watson will likely be relegated to the bench. But a strong performance in the early season can show Andy Reid and company that Watson deserves to stay on the gridiron.
Follow Us
Subscribe