Kansas City Chiefs rookie first-round pick wide receiver Xavier Worthy has been sidelined since suffering a tweaked hamstring on May 22.
Though concern has risen because Worthy missed the team’s two sets of organized team activities (OTAs) and mandatory minicamp since suffering the injury, head coach Andy Reid said the speedster should be ready for training camp in late July.
“He should be able to. He’ll continue to get treatment here [at the facility],” Reid said of Worthy’s status for training camp during his press conference on June 13. “He’s getting better.”
Worthy being healthy for training camp is crucial, as he will need to continue to build chemistry with quarterback Patrick Mahomes this summer if he wants to make strong impact during his rookie season.
Hollywood Brown Talks Increased Chemistry With Patrick Mahomes
A Chiefs wideout that received extra reps during OTAs and minicamp due to Worthy being sidelined is veteran receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. That’s very helpful for Brown, who just signed with the two-time defending Super Bowl champions in March and is on a one-year, prove-it deal.
Speaking to the media on June 12, Brown explained how his chemistry with Mahomes has evolved compared to when the two players began working together in Texas this offseason.
“It’s been good. From when we first started going back in Dallas to now, it’s just keep improving. He’s trusting me more and more, so that’s good,” Brown said during his press conference. “We’re fast; we’re definitely fast. We’re gonna put a lot of pressure on people for sure.”
Brown also praised Kansas City’s coaching staff for deploying him in multiple roles, which he believes will help him be more productive.
“They let me play,” Brown said of the coaching staff. “They’re letting me be a weapon. Something that I’m excited to do is not [be where] I’m just stuck in this role or that role. I get to be a weapon for the offense. I’m excited for that.”
If Brown and Mahomes continue to build chemistry between now and the 2024 regular season, then the two of them should have their fair share of big-time connections early in the season.
Hollywood Brown Will Help Bring Back Deep Passing Game to KC
Brown, 27, is a receiver who is capable of playing out wide and in the slot, and can win at all three levels of the field but succeeds the most on intermediate and deep routes.
According to Matt Harmon of Reception Perception, the routes Brown had the highest success rate with during the 2023 season among the ones he ran the most were out routes (88.9%), post routes (81.5%), dig routes (79.5%), and curl routes (78%).
Kansas City’s offense struggled to consistently make plays downfield during the 2023 season. But Reid and Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy should be able to scheme up ways to get Brown open downfield, which will help revamp the offense’s passing game this upcoming season.
As for how Brown is digesting what the Chiefs are throwing at him: Mahomes is impressed with what he’s seen from the veteran pass catcher thus far.
“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 of Brown during his press conference on June 13.
“Honestly, I don’t know how he’s here in our place because of how talented he is — He’s gonna help get Trav [Travis Kelce] open, help get Rashee [Rice] open, he’s gonna help get all these guys open… I’m very excited to get him out there in the regular season.”
