Kansas City, MO – May 6, 2025
The Kansas City Chiefs shook the NFL Tuesday, trading wide receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown to the New York Giants for a 2026 third-round pick. The move clears space for rookie Jalen Royals, a fourth-round gem, as Kansas City reloads after a 40-22 Super Bowl LIX loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Brown, 27, posted 514 yards in 2024 but was outshined by Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice. Royals, a Utah State standout with 839 yards and seven touchdowns, brings blazing speed and versatility. “Jalen’s our spark,” coach Andy Reid said, eyeing Royals as a WR4 and returner.
The trade unloads Brown’s $11 million cap hit, giving the Chiefs flexibility with $12.7 million in cap space. Royals, alongside Rice, Worthy, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Travis Kelce, strengthens a receiving corps that ranked 25th with 2,312 yards. GM Brett Veach prioritized youth over Brown’s expiring deal.
Kansas City’s draft haul—Josh Simmons, Omarr Norman-Lott, Ashton Gillotte, Nohl Williams, Royals, Jeffrey Bassa, and Brashard Smith—signals a bold rebuild. Brown’s exit, after 322 career catches and 28 touchdowns, opens snaps for Royals, who flashed 4.3-second 40-yard dash speed at the combine.
Chiefs Kingdom buzzes with excitement. With two remaining picks, including No. 226, Kansas City eyes secondary depth. Trading Brown, a former first-rounder, for a mid-round pick fuels 2025 Super Bowl dreams, betting on Royals to ignite Mahomes’ high-octane offense in a quest to reclaim AFC supremacy.
