Chiefs Roster: Justin Watson says the team has many talented wideouts

Early within the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ coaching camp at Missouri Western State College in St. Joseph, huge receiver Justin Watson sustained what was initially feared to be a critical foot harm.

Happily, the veteran wideout was again on the sector in a matter of days. After sitting out the workforce’s first preseason sport in opposition to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Watson recorded a 20-yard reception from Patrick Mahomes throughout Saturday’s matchup with the Detroit Lions.

Watson appreciates what vp of sports activities drugs and efficiency Rick Burkholder and his employees did to carry him again.

“It seemed lots worse than it was,” he informed reporters on Monday. “I really feel fairly good on the market. I’ve bought an enormous shout out to Rick and his entire employees — David Glover — [for] getting me again lots earlier than I feel anybody anticipated. [I’m] simply glad to be on the market — and feeling actually good.”

Sadly, offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has recognized Watson as a participant who should now step up for an additional injured participant: huge receiver Hollywood Brown. Whereas Watson is glad to do his half, he expects his teammate again sooner quite than later.

“At this level within the yr,” he defined, “we’re nonetheless simply all targeted on bettering a ton every day. That’s been the purpose since we bought right here in OTAs [and] since we began coaching camp. In order that’s actually no totally different: every of us is simply targeted on bettering.

“It was good seeing Hollywood within the constructing this week, and it looks like he’s going to do all the things he can to get again rapidly.”

The belief now positioned on Watson has been earned via two seasons in Kansas Metropolis, the place he’s been plugged into every receiver place in head coach Andy Reid’s offense — and constructing chemistry with Mahomes as he discovered each element within the playbook.

“That’s at all times the development at first,” he defined. “You’re simply making an attempt to determine the performs on the sheet — after which after that, it’s, ‘OK, properly, that is how the road is drawn on the sheet, however what do you’ve throughout the route that you could work with?’

“Now in my third yr, it’s actually about getting on the identical web page with Pat after I’m popping out of my breaks, understanding precisely the place he’s going to place the ball at — or in a sure play, how we’re attacking the protection.

“So, it’s been cool simply selecting up the place we left off. [We’re] in a position to level to some previous yr’s movie and say, ‘Hey, run it such as you did final yr in opposition to this workforce or that workforce’ — simply persevering with to construct with the connection with Pat.”

One other participant who might be requested to tackle a part of Brown’s function is rookie Xavier Worthy, who completed Saturday’s sport with 4 touches for 73 mixed yards and a landing. Watson is impressed with how rapidly the rookie has blended into the offense.

“He’s lightning quick,” Watson mentioned of Worthy, “so to see him processing the sport quick — permitting him to play with loads of that pace — was simply actually cool to see. [It was] simply good seeing him make sensible selections on that landing — [to] acknowledge that there was no security in [the] center [of the] area. [He] gave it somewhat stutter after which took the grass.

“So simply seeing him take large strides every week — particularly final week to this week — I do know it’s going to maintain going all through the season.”

Watson additionally has excessive expectations for Rashee Rice throughout his second yr.

“I feel Rashee is in an superior place,” he declared. “To see him go from the place he was on the finish of final yr and take a large step to the place he’s at now has been cool to see. I feel he’s going to be an important chief for our room this yr — on and off [the] area.”

However Watson believes the Chiefs’ huge receiver power goes past the gamers on the prime of the depth chart.

“We’ve had loads of good receivers,” he famous. “I have a look at Skyy Moore as one other man — that I feel is in his third yr additionally — [who] has advanced his function from simply taking part in one place to understanding all of the spots.”

Watson defined that this makes Moore an important candidate to step in at any level in a sport — a trait he shares with Cornell Powell, who has by no means made the lively roster after being the workforce’s fifth-round decide in 2021. The previous Clemson wideout caught a landing go in opposition to the Lions.

“He wasn’t presupposed to be on that play,” revealed Watson. “We wanted a sub for one play —after which he makes the play of the preseason with an important catch.”

Because the senior veteran in Kansas Metropolis’s huge receiver room, Watson is aware of he performs a task in getting ready his youthful teammates.

“I’ve at all times simply tried to be a frontrunner within the room,” he mentioned, “even my first yr right here after I was simply making an attempt to get my toes moist. It’s simply cool to know what the coaches need — [to] know what Pat desires — and have the ability to share some perception with these guys in order that they don’t must be taught the exhausting approach.

“It’s been enjoyable coming in as the brand new man — after which three years in, [I’ve] form of discovered myself because the outdated man within the room: the man that’s bought somewhat extra grey hair right here and there.”