On the second day of minicamp, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo of the Kansas City Chiefs executed a Cover Zero blitz against
But the Chiefs’ quarterback beat it, hitting wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown for a long touchdown.
Brown recounted, “I looked up and realized the ball was in the air.” “With confidence that he would throw it, I lowered my head.”
A similar pass to Brown against the blitz did not succeed during organized team activities (OTAs). Thus, while Brown’s minicamp score suggests that he has deep threat potential (he outscored Chamarri Conner on the touchdown), it might be more important to observe the relationship that quarterback Patrick Mahomes is developing with his new target, which began during the passing game.
But Brown ran a 4.27 in the 40at his Oklahoma Pro Day. Paired with rookie Xavier Worthy, who set the NFL Combine record with a 4.21 in the 40-yard dash, he could give the Chiefs a dimension they’ve missed since they traded Tyreek Hill away.
“Those guys are blazers,” wide receiver Justin Watson said. “They’re a different level of speed, and defenses are going to have to back up.”
Head coach Andy Reid, though, emphasized Brown is more than just a speed merchant who can spread the field.
Reid stated, “He can play outside or inside, and while he can be a deep danger, I avoid calling him that.” “He can perform all of the many routes that we asked him to complete while playing inside the offense.”
Mahomes gave Brown’s a complement.
The caveat is that Mahomes and the Chiefs may need to make the most of Brown’s absence.
Executives from the team expressed surprise at the low cost of a player who has increased his receiving yards in three of his five seasons: a $11 million one-year contract with a $7 million base value.
“We’re lucky that the circumstances in Hollywood turned out the way they did,” Chiefs general manager BrettBrett +10.1%Veach said. “He’s going to be a fantastic one-year acquisition for us and set himself up brilliantly going forward,”
Since the Chiefs signed Brown for such a low price, the wide receiver market has expanded. Jaylen Waddle, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Justin Jefferson, and A.J. Brown signed new deals totaling over $28 million a year.
Hollywood Brown may not be among the best receivers in that group, but if he plays a full season in Reid’s inventive offense and catches passes from the best quarterback in the league, he may be entitled to a big raise the next offseason.
Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster had similar experiences, as seen by his ability to convert a one-year deal with the Chiefs into a three-year, $25.5 million deal with the New England Patriots.
In the interim, though, Chiefs fans have something to look forward to in Mahomes’ new, flashy, speedy gadget.
Brown declared, “We’re going to put a lot of pressure on them.” “It will be thrilling,”
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