If there's a notable name available at wide receiver at this point in the NFL offseason, he's already been connected with the Kansas City Chiefs. The method doesn't matter: a free-agent signing, a minor deal, a blockbuster trade. Every single tooth in the mouth of rosters across the league has been wiggled to see whether or not K.C. could yank it out.
According to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, however, A.J. Brown, who is one of the most impactful stars who is clearly on the outs with the Philadelphia Eagles, is not going to be an option for Kansas City going forward.
To be clear, the Chiefs are in the hunt for a wide receiver for two primary reasons. First, their assumed WR1 has decided to learn zero lessons from an arrest on multiple felony charges for reckless driving and a collision that caused bodily harm. Rice was handed a judicial gift when he was able to avoid serving 30 days in jail at his discretion over a five-year period as long as he abided by the terms of his probation. However, a positive THC test has now landed him in jail for the next month, which means he'll miss OTAs and mandatory minicamp.
Second, even if Rice decided to turn into a Scoutmaster or join a monastery in the offseason, the Chiefs still need some help at wide receiver. Rice already had availability concerns. Xavier Worthy has yet to break through. Jalen Royals just sat for a year. Tyquan Thornton has never shouldered a significant burden in his four-year career. Yet the only move the Chiefs made at wideout was to draft Cincinnati's Cyrus Allen, and even that was a mere fifth-round investment.
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer basically tapped the brakes on any sort of A.J. Brown-level hopes for Kansas City.
Rice is not only spending the next month in jail, but he's doing so after having surgery to clean up his right knee, which was reportedly going to sideline him for two months anyway. That places greater responsibilities on those beneath him on the depth chart, yet each of those were already question marks even if Rice was ready to go above them.
It makes sense, then, why Breer is talking about potential plays for the Chiefs to bolster the offense before heading into a rebound campaign following a six-win season. Yet as good as Brown has been, Breer says that's not in the cards for Kansas City.
"Do they circle back and maybe look at the idea of trading for A.J. Brown? I don't think that happens. They had that opportunity. They were on A.J. Brown's list. They said no to the Eagles in the first place."
Brown is widely expected to be traded to the New England Patriots following June 1 in order to make the deal that's been reported for weeks official. It's possible another team could step in and change the course of things—just look at how the Maxx Crosby trade turned out—but Breer says that's not the case.
Any consideration of Brown makes sense. He's a three-time All-Pro with six 1,000-yard campaigns in his first seven seasons and would immediately be the most impactful pass catcher on offense. But he's also going to require serious financial compensation over the long term, and the Chiefs aren't exactly flush with cash. There's also the ensuing drama that follows him wherever he lands to go with the draft capital demanded by the Eagles.
With Brown headed to New England, it makes sense for K.C. to look at other big names on the market. A free agent like Stefon Diggs would be a decent fit. A reunion with DeAndre Hopkins could be in the cards. A trade for Kayshon Boutte might work. Expect something to happen here, although the Chiefs don't have to do anything for quite some time, given where the NFL calendar sits. But anyone wanting a major play for Brown might want to think again.
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