Chiefs could steal one of C.J. Stroud’s receivers after Hollywood Brown injury
By Ryan Heckman
When the Kansas City Chiefs opened their 2024 preseason, newly-acquired wide receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown got going with a catch early on. While it was good to see Brown get in on the action, that play unfortunately ended with an injury.
Brown exited the game and did not return, only to find out days later that his injury was of the semi-serious nature. A sternoclavicular injury is what this was deemed after initially being labeled a mere "shoulder" injury.
Now, the Chiefs are looking at being without Brown for anywhere from a month to six weeks.
With a couple of weeks before roster cuts need to be finalized, the Chiefs could look at adding a receiver via trade. Right now, plucking from C.J. Stroud's current arsenal looks like a viable option.
If the Texans were, for some reason, unwilling to negotiate with a fellow AFC contender, the Chiefs would still have a chance at snagging one of Houston's released wideouts. And, there will be multiple to choose from.
The Texans might not have a choice in ultimately helping the Chiefs
Looking at the Texans' wide receiver room, it's been a foregone conclusion that Houston is going to end up cutting ties with a talented player. That room is far too stacked to keep all the players they might want to retain.
Roster locks are Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and Noah Brown. That's four. From there, John Metchie III and Xavier Hutchinson are likely in conversation to be five and six. But, Robert Woods and Ben Skowronek are also there hanging around.
For those counting at home, that's eight wide receivers on a team likely to keep six.
Whether the Texans opt to try and get something for one of the end-of-roster receivers or not is up to them, but the Chiefs will wind up having their pick of a couple Houston receivers when they land on waivers.
Assuming they want to do right by Woods, the Texans could choose to allow Woods to try and find a new team before roster cuts are happening freely on August 27.
Woods could be a nice addition for Kansas City. He's not a speedster like Brown is, but Woods is a chain mover, and Patrick Mahomes can work with a savvy veteran who still knows how to find the softer spots in coverage.
Last year, Woods was used somewhat sparingly and ended the year with 40 receptions for 426 yards and one touchdown in 11 starts. If the Texans and Chiefs were to engage in trade talks, all it might take is a seventh-round pick to acquire a player like Woods, as he's likely to be cut when it's all said and done.