In the post-Tyreek Hill era, the Kansas City Chiefs have immensely struggled in their receiving room. And now that the club is going into the 2024 season with the aim of a three-peat, they addressed this issue on draft day by selecting Xavier Worthy. His 4.21-second 40-yard dash at the Combine instantly bolstered his draft stock, so much so that the defending champs had to trade up with the Bills to get him—a team that recently bid farewell to their star wideout, Stefon Diggs.
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So, the question remains: Why would the Bills pass on a receiver like Worthy, who had an admirable stint with the Longhorns, and if Andy Reid and his Chiefs made a good decision by adding this extra help for Patrick Mahomes? While it cannot be confirmed as of now why the Bills decided to trade down from their 28th slot (twice), Reid, on the other hand, has already made his feelings known about his new wideout.
During his first presser following the first day of the 2024 NFL Draft, Reid emphasized Xavier Worthy’s dual-threat capabilities as both a receiver and a special teams returner, which the club plans to utilize without fail. The Chiefs’ head man believes that Worthy would make a great addition to the receiving room, which currently consists of Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown. Let’s not forget Travis Kelce as well.
Andy also acknowledged that Xavier Worthy isn’t very big, but he has already made a name for himself as a standout route runner. His toughness, football instincts, and the push to hone his skills swayed the team to select him. The Chiefs run a unique offensive scheme, which is no secret, and the head coach feels that the former Texas star has the ability to thrive within their system.
“He’s a good route runner,” Reid said. “And you know he’s not a big kid. Or, at least, weight-wise. He’s got good height; he’s just not very heavy. But I think you will see the toughness that he’s got, which jumped out at me. And when you talk to his coach, Coach Sarkisian; he kept talking about how smart he was. He has got great football instincts, and he’s a tremendous worker.”
While Reid has shown his confidence in Worthy, what about Mahomes? His outbreaks on the sidelines due to crucial drops didn’t paint a good picture. But there’s more to the story, and as it turns out, he was the one holding it all together.
Xavier Worthy Could Become an Explosive Weapon for Mahomes in No Time
According to KSHB, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs tallied 20 touchdowns on average before Tyreek departed for Miami. In the last two seasons, the average has come down to only 13. Receptions also saw a decline from 12.8 to 11.6, and there wasn’t an exception for the average receiving yards as well, which plummeted to 148.9 from 170.6.
This was visible during games, and game-sealing drops frustrated the star QB. But he kept his calm. He would participate in the field, helping his receivers, especially Rashee Rice, reach their full potential. It was effective too, as Rice went on to label him the “No. 1 teacher.”
“Every day, we’re always putting in different routes and stuff like changing up personnel and formations,” Rice claimed. “When it comes to running certain routes against zone and man defenses, without me even going to Pat, Pat’s going to let me know what he’s looking for so I can know how to run my route,” as per KSHB.
Thus, it can be said with certainty that Worthy will flourish with the Chiefs, if, of course, he puts in the work. Yes, he had an impressive showcase at the Scouting Combine, but translating that 4.21-second sprint to the NFL field, amid the complexities of gameplay, may prove challenging. Yet, if he manages to refine his route-running skills, we could be looking at a new and improved Tyreek Hill.
