The Kansas City Chiefs have re-acquired Mecole Hardman from the New York Jets in a trade, according to Adam Schefter. The Chiefs reuniting with Hardman makes sense, as he wasn't being utilized by the Jets and has plenty of familiarity with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid's playbook.
While Hardman is a low-cost, sensible trade addition, the Chiefs shouldn't be content with settling at the wide receiver position and not maximizing the potential of Mahomes. The salary cap situation in Kansas City may be difficult to navigate, but the next trade for the Chiefs could be mindful of that and essentially be a one-year rental with no long-term obligations.
Why Marquise ‘Hollywood' Brown is a perfect fit for the Chiefs
When you have a championship window, you should do everything you can to go for it. While you could argue that Kansas City is currently the favorite, the inexperienced and ineffective receiver corps Patrick Mahomes has had to work with is far from ideal. Hardman is essentially a replacement for the injured Justin Watson, and can be a downfield threat, but the Chiefs could badly use a more dynamic receiver who can threaten teams deep but still run sharp routes over the middle of the field.
Enter Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marquise ‘Hollywood' Brown, who is having a fantastic season for the rebuilding Arizona Cardinals despite playing with Josh Dobbs as his quarterback. Brown is currently on an expiring contract and is set to hit free agency this upcoming summer, which makes him a perfect rental for the Chiefs and an ideal trade candidate for an Arizona team looking to stack draft capital.
By trading a 3rd or 4th-round pick for Brown, the Chiefs could give Mahomes a true WR1 to go along with Travis Kelce. Brown has long been one of the best deep threats in the league, and played a big part in helping Lamar Jackson win an MVP award. Labeling Brown as just a speedster is a discredit to his talent as a route runner and his ability create separation, as he 91 receptions in 2021 for a run-heavy Baltimore team.
Brown has 29 receptions and 3 touchdowns already this season, and at 26 years old, is firmly in the prime of his career. While there are other solid receivers on teams who won't be contending for the postseason (like Tennessee Titans wideout DeAndre Hopkins), Brown should be immune from “hitting the wall” and slowing down as the season progresses due to age and injury. He's a much safer rental, and has a lot more in the tank than Hopkins does at this point in his career.
Brown seems to fit the type that Reid and the Chiefs have sought after in the past. While the trade for Kadarius Toney has backfired thus far, Brown is a significantly more proven talent who could potentially re-sign in Kansas City on a discount if all goes well.
The Cardinals may be hesitant to trade Kyler Murray's college teammate, especially after the two flashed such great chemistry last season, but it's unclear if Murray is going to be the franchise's building block moving forward. If Arizona knows they want a quarterback in the draft, upsetting Murray by trading his top target isn't nearly as big of a deal. It all depends on how Arizona views their future, and the likelihood they can bring Brown back in free agency.
Trading for a star receiver like Hollywood Brown may cost the Chiefs some serious draft capital, but the window to win a title is now. The injury scare earlier this season for Travis Kelce should have sent some warning signs to the front office that Mahomes needs more help than just his favorite tight end. A trade for Marquise Brown would provide the Chiefs with just that.
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