The Kansas City Chiefs’ offence received a significant boost when they added wide receiver Marquise Brown. However, a shoulder ailment has sidelined Brown for the foreseeable future.
Kansas City has replaced the man they called down from Hollywood with Justin Watson. According to ESPN’s Adam Teicher, Watson has received many of the reps Brown would get if he were on the field.
Brown is expected to miss four to six weeks after dislocating a joint in his shoulder. He will not require surgery, but the speedster is likely to miss Week 1. While the rest of the preseason may shake things up, Watson appears to be the most likely starter next to Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy if Brown is forced to miss regular season action.
Watson began his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and has spent the past two seasons in Kansas City. Watson now has three consecutive championship rings after the Buccaneers won the Super Bowl in 2021 and the Chiefs went back-to-back. Perhaps his Super Bowl pedigree has propelled him up the depth chart.
Watson’s 2023 season included 27 receptions for 460 yards and three touchdowns, all career highs. He matched for the second-most receptions on the team amongst wide receivers but his yards and touchdown catches put him behind only Rice.
Justin Watson has caught 65 passes for 1,033 yards and seven touchdowns in his six-year NFL career, and if he earns a starting role in Week 1, he will have a significant potential to increase those figures.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs need wide receiver help.
While the Chiefs have future Hall of Famer Travis Kelce, they needed more playmaking ability on the outside. That was the only reason they signed Brown. But, at least early in the year, they’ll have to look elsewhere.
One immediate option will be first-round choice Xavier Worthy. After smashing the NFL combine record in the 40-yard sprint, Worthy is ready to bring his jets to Kansas City. He was a force at Texas for three years, catching 197 passes for 2,755 yards and 26 touchdowns.
Watson and Worthy will be joined by Rice, who has emerged as the de facto leader in the wide receiver room by 2023. He topped all Kansas City receivers with 79 receptions for 938 yards and seven scores. He will once again be regarded as one of Patrick Mahomes’ most reliable targets.
Justin Watson, who already has two years of experience, is hoping to join him. When Marquise Brown returns, Watson is likely to be pushed to the bench. However, a great early-season performance can demonstrate to Andy Reid and his staff that Watson deserves to continue on the football pitch.
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