Chiefs depth chart after long-awaited injury update should terrify rest of NFL

Another week, another win that doesn't inspire a whole lot of confidence in the Kansas City Chiefs' threepeat bid. Sure, Kansas City clinched a playoff spot with a 19-17 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Black Friday, remaining atop the AFC at 11-1. But needing a botched snap (and some more questionable officiating) to survive a potential game-winning field goal drive is not how a Super Bowl favorite is supposed to beat arguably the worst team in the NFL, and the same warning signs this team has shown all season were on display once again.

Steve Spagnuolo's defense got torched by Aidan O'Connell, Brock Bowers and Co., while Patrick Mahomes once again struggled to push the ball downfield, averaging just 6.65 yards per attempt on 46 throws. The two-time defending champs were outgained by over 100 total yards and a full two yards per play; finding ways to win is all well and good, and the team remains defiant about its performance, but it's hard to escape the feeling that not even Arrowhead magic will be able to save Kansas City unless it makes some drastic changes.

The good news, however, is that a drastic change might be coming to the lineup sooner than anyone expected.

Marquise Brown injury update is great news for Chiefs

The Chiefs thought they had finally solved their vertical passing problem this offseason, acquiring Marquise Brown in free agency before drafting Texas speedster Xavier Worthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. But those plans were dashed before the season even began, as Brown suffered a shoulder injury in Kansas City's preseason opener that would eventually require surgery to repair. At the time, it was an open question whether Brown would play for the Chiefs at all this year.

But the latest update regarding Brown seems like he could be back sooner than just about anyone expected. According to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, it's "likely" that the wideout will be back on the field before the regular season ends.

Rapoport reports that Brown is due for an appointment with his surgeon to gain final clearance at some point during Week 15. If all goes well, he'll be able to return to the practice field, and he could make his season debut as early as Week 16 against the Houston Texans or Week 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It's hard to overstate the impact that could have on this Chiefs offense. DeAndre Hopkins has done an admirable job filling in the Rashee Rice role, and Travis Kelce has shown that he still has something left in the tank when he needs it. But this wide receiver group is badly lacking in downfield juice, with Worthy predictably needing some time to adjust to the physicality of the NFL game. Brown might not be a complete receiver, but juice is something he absolutely has; even if it takes a little time for him to get on the same page with Mahomes, defenses will immediately have to respect his speed, which should at the very least open up more intermediate room for guys like Hopkins and Kelce.

This doesn't solve all of the Chiefs' problems at once, and Brown will need some time to get up to speed. But the fact that he'll be able to get those reps before the playoffs roll around is critical, and Mahomes is closer to having all the pieces he needs to work his Houdini act once again.