The Kansas City Chiefs remain focused on Super Bowl 59 — which is set to take place tomorrow evening on February 9. With that in mind, NFL free agency is just around the corner and things will start to come together quickly over the next month following tomorrow’s big game.
The Chiefs have several wide receivers that are set to hit the open market in 2025, including Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, DeAndre Hopkins, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Justin Watson and Mecole Hardman. While it’ll be interesting to see if Kansas City retains any of these five veterans this spring, ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler did report that the Chiefs have a legitimate interest in re-signing Brown on February 8 — but they’re not alone.
“The Chiefs very much want to keep receiver Hollywood Brown, who should have a good market due to teams’ desire for speed options on the outside,” Fowler relayed on the Saturday morning before the Super Bowl. “[Patrick] Mahomes advocated for signing Brown last year and will likely do so again. Will another star quarterback — like Josh Allen — be next?”
The insider then went on to suggest that the Buffalo Bills could be looking to swipe Brown from the Chiefs.
“People with the Chiefs I spoke to this week believe that Allen has long wanted to play with Brown,” Fowler noted. As proven again this winter, Allen and the Bills remain as one of Kansas City’s greatest threats to the AFC throne.
Building around Allen, Buffalo has turned themselves into a perennial challenger inside the conference and a respected KC rival from an organizational standpoint.
Chiefs WR Hollywood Brown’s Free Agent Market Will Be Difficult to Predict
There’s no telling what type of contract Brown will get in free agency. The starting-caliber wide receiver missed most of the 2024 campaign with injury, and he hasn’t exactly set the world on fire since returning with just 126 total receiving yards over his first four appearances.
And that’s after two down seasons in Arizona in 2022 and 2023.
Brown took a one-year, $7 million deal with the Chiefs last offseason, hoping to build his market around the league. Unfortunately, the opposite occurred as Brown’s preseason injury adds more uncertainty — validating the fears of those who questioned the durability of his 5-foot-9 frame.
That’s not to say he won’t garner interest as a buy-low playmaker. Fowler just named two franchises that could compete for Brown’s services in the Chiefs and Bills.
Having said that, it’s hard to see the speedster getting a long-term contract with lots of guaranteed money.
If Rashee Rice is healthy and active in 2025, one could argue that Brown would enter training camp as the Chiefs’ WR3 — let’s say he re-signed. Rice has shown way more chemistry and superstar potential working with Mahomes, and rookie first rounder Xavier Worthy has developed into another popular target of the two-time NFL MVP.
In Buffalo, Brown would likely fit in anywhere from WR1 through WR3, in competition with trusty 25-year-old Khalil Shakir and 2024 rookie Keon Coleman.
Hollywood Brown Sidesteps Free Agency Talk as Chiefs Prep for Super Bowl LIX
Brown addressed the media on February 4 ahead of the Super Bowl, and he was asked about his impending free agent status.
“Uhh, I mean, I’m not even thinking [about that]. I’m thinking about a Super Bowl right now,” Brown told reporters on Tuesday.
He added: “That’s all I can really think about.”
This will be the first Super Bowl appearance of Brown’s career, as the Chiefs go head-to-head with the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles. As you’d expect, he’s living in the moment.
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