ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs haven’t had a dominant No. 1 wide receiver since trading Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins during the 2022 offseason.
Kansas City incorporated a committee approach at the position group over the past two seasons, but it didn’t produce a 1,000-yard wide receiver. The Chiefs addressed the position by using a first-round pick on Xavier Worthy during the 2024 NFL Draft and signing speedster Hollywood Brown to a one-year contract during free agency.
But despite the infusion of talent to a wideout group consisting of Rashee Rice, Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney, Mecole Hardman and Justin Watson, among others, the Chiefs might be looking at another wide receiver-by-committee strategy.
“I don’t know if there will necessarily be one guy, but I think we got a lot of explosive guys,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes said Friday. “A lot of different guys are going to have big games, but it’s going to be the same few guys that are kind of going to be those lead candidates and other guys who step in and make plays happen.”
The committee approach worked from 2022-23 and it didn’t completely adversely impact the Chiefs offense, which remained a Top-10 unit over the past two seasons. Mahomes also didn’t necessarily need to rely on a dominant wide receiver because tight end Travis Kelce commands targets.
Kelce owns multiple NFL tight end records, which includes notching seven straight 1,000-yard receiving campaigns. The streak ended in 2023 after Kelce posted 984 yards receiving, but he remains an elite producer.
Help has arrived, though, as the Chiefs have now surrounded the four-time All-Pro tight end with what projects as a capable supporting cast to apply pressure on opponents.
“Obviously, we got Trav,” Mahomes said. “Rashee is going to be our guy who works over the middle, and I think Hollywood is going to do a great job of that. And obviously with Xavier, I think as the season goes on, he’s going to get even better and better.”
Rice appears primed to improve on his 2023 production of 79 catches for 938 yards and seven touchdowns. Mahomes, however, raises a good point on Worthy perhaps needing time to adjust from college to the professional level.
While the Chiefs drafted Worthy and signed Brown to help push the ball down the field, both players need to fully absorb the team’s complex playbook.
Mahomes expects big things when his wide receiver group eventually comes together.
“I think it’s going to be hard for teams to kind of game-plan one guy because we have a lot of guys that can go out there and have big games,” Mahomes said.
In the meantime, the Chiefs have used a lot of time during training camp practices getting the new-look wide receiver group involved with the deep ball. And with Worthy and Brown possessing sub 4.3 40-yard dash speed to lead the way, the results have proven positive for the entire wide receiver corps.
“They’ve got speed and they’re fast guys,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Friday. “They’re trying to maintain that through practice, which isn’t an easy thing to do. But they’re pacing themselves there and I like their attitude. We’ve got some depth there, so they keep challenging each other and we’ll be better.”
Mahomes echoed his head coach.
“You just see the speed that we have and how it’s opening up everybody,” Mahomes said. “It’s a great group. They all mesh well together, so I’m excited for their future because the sky is the limit.”
NOTES: Wide receiver Xavier Worthy (illness) returned to practice Friday. … Wide receiver Justin Watson (foot) didn’t practice and Reid said Watson is “day to day.” … Cornerback Nazeeh Johnson, who has missed time with a knee injury, returned. … The Chiefs were in pads for the first time in training camp, and Reid enjoyed the effort. “I thought the guys worked hard,” Reid said. “They challenged each other back and forth, offense and defense, a positive.”
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