Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, without saying it directly, made clear Thursday that he believes general manager Brett Veach got himself an offseason steal. Specifically, Mahomes thinks that the Chiefs signing free-agent receiver Hollywood Brown to a one-year deal for up to $11 million will end up being money well spent.
“Honestly, I don’t know how he’s here in our place, because of how talented he is,” Mahomes said Thursday, following the team’s final day of mandatory mini-camp. “And I can just see that it’s gonna be a great season for him and just take pressure off other guys.” Brown, 27, is entering his sixth season after spending time with Baltimore and Arizona. His career high for receiving yards was 1,008 with the Ravens in 2021. If he remains healthy, Brown seems like he could challenge that mark if he continues his early trajectory. “He’s done a great job. It’s hard to learn this offense, and I feel like he’s done a great job picking it up very fast,” Mahomes said. “And then obviously, you see the ability.”
That all came together during the second day of mandatory mini-camp on Wednesday. During a team drill, Mahomes saw an all-out blitz headed his way. It was similar to a play a few weeks earlier during Organized Team Activities; on that snap, Mahomes had lofted the ball deep down the sideline intended for Brown, while hoping the wideout would adjust his route to go get it.Brown did not. The pass fell incomplete. “I was just like, ‘Hey, if you see the pressure, you’ve got to get over there,’” Mahomes said. “’I’m gonna put it up in the air and let you run underneath it.’” Fast forward to Wednesday. Brown recognized the blitz early this time and changed his route to run deep. Mahomes had the same read, rearing back to heave it long. The result was a 50-yard touchdown. “It’s not only the physical ability that he has, but he’s a smart football player,” Mahomes said.
“And I’m excited to get him out there and have a great training camp.” Brown, for his part, downplayed the long catch when asked about it Wednesday. “Seeing a blitz. Kind of just put my head down, trusting that he was gonna throw it,” Brown said. “Looked up, ball was in the air. Just made a play.” Chiefs coach Andy Reid knows these subtle adjustments, however, are important developments. The fact that Mahomes and Brown are communicating like this early should only help their future production. “They’ve got a good connection with that part of it. They’re talking,” Reid said. “And once Patrick knows what Hollywood’s thinking and Hollywood kind of knows where Patrick physically can get the ball to — the location of the field, not as much depth as location of the field — then that’s a good thing.”
Brown’s progression was just part of a receiving group that Mahomes said was “shaping up really well” following OTAs and mandatory mini-camp. Players went through a conditioning test Thursday, which was the last assignment before some time off; the Chiefs are set to open training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri in mid-July.
Overall, Mahomes said he was excited to see how Brown’s presence might recalibrate the Chiefs’ offense. “I think it’s gonna help get Trav (Kelce) open, help get Rashee (Rice) open, gonna help get all these guys open, because you’re gonna have that speed threat that can run routes and do all those different things,” Mahomes said. “So I’m very excited to get him out there in the regular season.”
