MoxVlog

As the NFL trade deadline approaches, two types of teams will be looking to make moves. On one hand, bad teams try to sell; if you're going to lose games, you might as well flip some players for draft picks. On the other hand, teams at the top end of the standings will be looking for a bit more help. When a Super Bowl victory is in sight, it could be worth mortgaging a bit of the future.

The Kansas City Chiefs sit firmly in that latter camp. And with the receiving corps struggling to collectively step up, something has to give.

Mecole Hardman is reportedly on his way back to Arrowhead, but he's not the only wideout who has been linked to the reigning Super Bowl champs. Marquise "Hollywood" Brown of the Arizona Cardinals is a proven pass-catcher, and the Cards would probably be willing to sell.

What's not to like? Well, there could be one potential red flag for the Chiefs: Brown's future plans.

Let's break it down.

Brown Is the Trendy Chiefs Target

For the past several years, head coach Andy Reid's offense carried Kansas City to the top of the NFL mountain. And while Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are both still at Arrowhead, the rest of the unit has taken a step back. The biggest issue has arisen in the receivers' room, where there's no reliable pass-catcher beyond Kelce.

Rashee Rice looks promising, but he's a rookie lacking experience. Skyy Moore hasn't really taken a step forward, Kadarius Toney is inconsistent, and (the injured) Justin Watson simply hasn't proven that he can be a legitimate secondary option. Mecole Hardman, who is reportedly returning to KC, wasn't more than a bit-part player during his previous stint in Missouri.

In that context, there's been speculation that the club could trade for a receiver. And while there are a variety of options that are potentially available, Hollywood Brown has emerged as a popular option.

In his CBS Sports post looking ahead to the trade deadline, Cody Benjamin flagged the possibility of Kansas City targeting Arizona's top receiver.

"Patrick Mahomes has yet to shift the Chiefs offense into high gear even as Kansas City remains atop the AFC West at 5-1. Part of the issue has been a scattershot receiving corps," he wrote. "Brown isn't an alpha out wide, but he's a more proven deep threat than many of K.C.'s younger options. And Arizona should be motivated to sell with 'Hollywood' headed for 2024 free agency."

Benjamin also speculated that the AFC West club would have to give up a third-round pick to secure the receiver's services.

In an SI.com story, Donnie Druin of All Cardinals seemed to agree that a deal would be possible.

"The buzz is certainly loud and there's good reason for it. I haven't personally heard anything on the Cardinals shopping him, but general manager Monti Ossenfort has shown he'll part ways with anybody who doesn't fit their future plans," he explained. "With Brown hitting free agency in 2024, Arizona having previously pivoted to a rebuild last offseason and Michael Wilson emerging as a strong rookie, the buzz makes sense."

Brown Is Unlikely to Stay in KC Past This Year

For long-time sports fans, the concept of a trade deadline rental, which means that a team acquires an impending free agent who will likely leave in the offseason, is nothing new. Brown's hypothetical move to Arrowhead Stadium would almost certainly fit into that category.

The receiver's contract expires after this season, but that's not all. When Brown hits free agency, he'll be expecting a sizable deal.

During the summer, Pro Football Focus' Brad Spielberger wrote that the current Cardinals' next deal could be indicative of the wide receiver market.

"Brown's situation is both singularly interesting and perhaps indicative of the larger market at the position, depending upon where his deal ultimately lands," he explained, according to an Arizona Sports story. "Brown is a low-end No. 1 option or elite second option, and we've seen the market contract a bit for that second tier after the explosion at the top of the market for the elite of the elite."

The receiver has already matched his 2022 touchdown total with three, and he'll want to aim for the biggest contract available. Druin also provided his sense of what Brown could be seeking.

"I'm Brown's camp, I'm looking at that Christian Kirk contract (four years, $72 million) as a baseline for what Brown could probably get as the salary cap continues to rise," he explained.

That cap hit would, quite simply, be tough for the Chiefs to manage. The club has just over $48 million in 2024 cap space, according to Over the Cap, but there are some caveats. There are impending free agents—L'Jarius Sneed, Mike Danna and Willie Gay chief among them—who general manager Brett Veach likely hopes to retain, and that's not even touching Chris Jones' future. Adam Schefter previously reported that financial constraints make it unlikely that the club will franchise tag the star lineman. He'll either leave in the offseason or require an extension which will eat up even more cap space.

That combines to suggest that Brown will be a rental, but the complications don't end there.

Reid's offense is famously complex, and it can take even the most intelligent player some time to get up to speed. That reality probably takes a few weeks off of Brown's effectiveness. So, instead of nine regular-season games worth of work (assuming he arrives at the trade deadline), maybe you'll get six legitimate outings.

And that reality makes the asking price—Druin thought the Cards "would ask for a second-round pick but likely end up settling for a third-rounder with maybe a late-round swap as well"—a bit tougher to swallow. A single pick might not seem like much, but the Chiefs' salary cap commitments make rookie contracts especially valuable.

Is a second or third-round pick worth six-to-eight games of Brown's service? That's the question on Veech's plate.

Ultimately, this is the sort of deal that's judged on the outcome more than the process. If the Chiefs push their chips into the middle of the table and win another Lombardi Trophy, no one will bat an eye. If they trade for Brown and he's a non-factor before leaving in free agency, then everyone will be a bit less happy.

But, when push comes to shove, you'd rather be a buyer, complete with the risks, than a seller.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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