Unfortunately for the Kansas City Chiefs, they're not in a novel situation as it relates to replacing a wide receiver.
Fortunately, they've found success in doing so.
With Marquise Brown likely to miss the start of the season due to a shoulder/clavicle destination, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said he'll be looking to Justin Watson to fill the void.
"I think right now for where he's at, probably Justin Watson coming in (and) knowing the role," Nagy, via team transcript, said this week when asked who would need to be the next man up sans Brown. "(It's not) necessarily step up, I don't know if I would use that word more than anything. It's different because there are different guys in for different series and different quarters. If you have an opportunity, no matter who you are, where you're at, whatever role you're in, you're trying to make this team."
Brown, likely the Chiefs' WR1 prior to his injury, joined the squad this offseason on a one-year deal and was set to start alongside rookie first-rounder Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice. Skyy Moore, Mecole Hardman and others will likely chip in, but it would seem Watson will be looked upon to most directly fill in for Brown.
The good news is that Watson is entering his third season with the club and is coming off his best showing, having recorded career highs of eight starts, 27 receptions, 460 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
However, Brown was acquired in the hopes of rekindling the Chiefs' deep passing attack. That will take a hit, just as it has over the past two seasons since KC traded Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins. However, the Chiefs' end game has been that of winning world championships, which they've done in back-to-back seasons – both without Hill.
So, this is really nothing new. And though Watson's name was spoken aloud by Nagy, in reality, the squad will have all wide receivers' hands on deck to fill the Brown vacancy, for however short or long that might be.
"We understand that we have our – the first and second group of guys that you guys have seen out there in different quarters," Nagy said. "Whoever that is, go ahead and use the competition to make a play. I think it could possibly be different every game, we're just – we'll wait and see."
