Marquise Brown to Chiefs? Breaking Down Latest Trade Speculation
ARIZONA -- We're just a few weeks away from the NFL's Oct. 31 deadline to trade players, and the Arizona Cardinals are a hot pick to be sellers as we near the finish line.
That could be due to the team's 1-5 record through six weeks of play, though the previous track record under new general manager Monti Ossenfort suggests the Cardinals will always be open for business after sending the likes of Colt McCoy, Isaiah Simmons and DeAndre Hopkins (among others) packing for other opportunities.
One obvious trade candidate has been receiver Marquise Brown, who is playing in the final year of his rookie contract. Brown will be a free agent in 2024 and is likely searching for a sizable paycheck, something Arizona may not feel inclined to give.
A handful of teams have been highlighted as potential destinations, though none may make more sense than the Kansas City Chiefs - a perennial Super Bowl contending team with an obvious need at the position.
We exchanged questions with Arrowhead Report's Jordan Foote (to view our answers, click here) to see if a deal truly made sense:
Q: How realistic is a deal, from a Kansas City perspective?
Jordan Foote: "To be frank, it doesn't seem too likely. Chiefs fans have been clamoring for the team to make a move and improve on the current group of wideouts, but the most probable decision is to stand pat and sleep in the bed general manager Brett Veach made this offseason.
"If the team gets desperate and hits the panic button then things could change, however Kansas City appears to trust the in-season development of this unit. That's without even mentioning the challenge of fitting Brown's salary into the franchise's ledger for this year."
Q: How Would Marquise Brown Fit?
Foote: "Brown has lined up predominantly on the outside and has some slot versatility, which would help take some pressure off a player like Skyy Moore who is currently being asked to do a lot within the confines of the offense. Brown also has good speed and would almost surely be KC's best wideout at separating against man coverage.
"The fit is solid, although he's also a smaller wideout and the Chiefs already have several non-alpha type receivers."
Q: What Does Ideal Trade Compensation Look Like?
Foote: "Brown was initially acquired for a first-round pick, but I'd say there's next to no chance the Chiefs give that up for him. Assuming an extension comes along with the trade (more on that later) the negotiations likely begin at the second-round pick point. Even that seems like it could be a bit too rich — perhaps a third is where things settle?
"It also depends on whether Kansas City is sending a player back in the trade and whether money is being eaten somewhere along the way."
Q: How Much Better Does Brown Make Kansas City?
Foote: "Right now, even with Patrick Mahomes being in a slump and the wide receiver room in limbo, the Chiefs' offense is probably still a top 10 group in all of football.
"Brown would undoubtedly help accelerate the development of the group and get it back to where it was last season, yet he isn't the key to unlocking Tyreek Hill-era levels of dominance. For 2023's purposes, though, he'd definitely improve things and make the team more dangerous."
Q: Would the Chiefs be Willing to Pay Brown?
Foote: "This is where things get tricky. It seems that unless a low-round pick is swapped in a one-year rental situation, a trade would come hand-in-hand with a long-term extension. Not only could that lower immediate cap ramifications, but it would also lock in a dynamic player for years to come.
"With that said, it's hard for me to envision the Chiefs blindly extending someone without experience in the offense."
For more updates on the Kansas City Chiefs, follow Jordan on Twitter/X @Footenoted and bookmark Arrowhead Report.
