ARIZONA — How quickly things change.

Arizona Cardinals WR Marquise Brown departed in free agency once the legal tampering period began earlier this week, and though Brown did let the market settle before making a decision, it appears he made the right one.

Brown is reportedly joining the Kansas City Chiefs on a one-year deal worth up to $11 million.

Brown joins a winning organization (Kansas City looks to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls) while also affording himself an opportunity to put up big numbers in an offense that has Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce before potentially cashing out next offseason.

It seems like a win-win for all parties involved, and NFL analysts certainly follow that trend in grading the move.

Bleacher Report: A
B/R: “Granted, Marquise Brown’s 2023 numbers weren’t great—51 catches for 574 yards and four scores. The 26-year-old has had some durability issues as well—Brown has missed eight games the past two years and hasn’t played in every game since his lone 1,000-yard campaign in 2021.

“But there’s no way to look at Brown’s arrival as anything but a major upgrade for the Chiefs opposite promising youngster Rashee Rice and all-everything tight end Travis Kelce. And with Brown coming in on a one-year deal, the risk is minimal. If it pays off, the Kansas City offense could go back to being abjectly terrifying. If it doesn’t, no real harm done.

“This is how great teams stay great—they consistently make wise personnel decisions.”

CBS Sports: B+
CBS: “Kyler Murray’s inability to stay healthy for most of Brown’s time in the desert heavily impacted Brown’s tenure in Arizona.

“His top quality is his speed and the vertical downfield threat that speed provides. Alongside the soon-to-be second-year wideout Rashee Rice and Kelce, Mahomes’ pass-catcher arsenal will be even better in 2024. Brown represents an upgrade over Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore and Justin Watson.”

The Athletic
Randy Mueller: “This is another attempt at finding the speed receiver the Chiefs hoped to get when they traded for Toney in 2022. Brown can take the top off defenses, even if they don’t throw the ball to him. It’s more about needing to add speed than who the speed comes from.

“Brown has been productive in spurts, but his slight frame and lack of physicality on contested catches have limited his effectiveness somewhat. When allowed a free release, he can be very dangerous. Playing with quarterback Patrick Mahomes, you know the opportunities will come. The rest is up to Brown. This could be a win-win.”