The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ first observe of their 2024 rookie minicamp received underway on Saturday afternoon, noticed solely by the crew’s coaches and a few reporters. Followers will simply have to attend a little bit longer to see the crew’s latest gamers — together with first-round vast receiver Xavier Worthy, who is likely to be probably the most eagerly anticipated.
Whereas the NFL Scouting Mix’s 40-yard sprint document breaker is gearing as much as catch bombs from quarterback Patrick Mahomes, he should first take up the crew’s complicated offensive scheme.
However after only a few days with the crew’s playbook, Worthy is already beginning to really feel snug with it — thanks (partly) to Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian.
“It jogs my memory a variety of Sark’s playbook,” Worthy informed reporters earlier than Saturday’s minicamp session. “A whole lot of similarities; a variety of totally different names to it. It’s going to be enjoyable to only play on this offense.”
Picture by Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Pictures
It’s unsurprising to listen to that Sarkisian — a former offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons — makes use of a pro-ready scheme to maximise the expertise at his disposal. Inside it, Worthy was requested to do greater than a participant along with his bodily profile sometimes would. That’s just like how Kansas Metropolis prefers to function.
Worthy denied that he’s a real Z receiver — a participant who aligns off the road of scrimmage and might go in movement earlier than the snap — as a result of with the Longhorns, he largely performed as an X, who stays on the line of scrimmage.
“I really feel like I performed each place at Texas,” he clarified. “I actually performed largely X at Texas. Having the ability to have that versatility — and play every part? It doesn’t restrict me to any place.”
That’s a solution the Chiefs’ offensive teaching employees will love to listen to — however that may develop over time because the 21-year-old matures each bodily and mentally. So within the quick future, his historic velocity might be utilized in particular methods.
One of many large questions on Worthy is whether or not his body will maintain up. On Saturday, the wideout revealed that upon his arrival in Kansas Metropolis, he weighed in at 169 — but additionally insisted that he doesn’t enable that quantity to outline him as a soccer participant.
Dimension isn’t every part in soccer, Leverage is essential and Xavier Worthy exhibits that off right here. He doesn’t draw back from the contact and actually lowers his pad stage to put the growth pic.twitter.com/No5o6HF4IR
— Jeremy (@PopesFFH) January 19, 2024
“I don’t assume I took large hits,” he stated with a smile. “I delivered them.”
On this manner, Worthy compares himself to former NFL working again DeSean Jackson, who performed for Kansas Metropolis head coach Andy Reid when he was with the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I really feel prefer it’s not going to be an issue,” he continued. “Understanding your strengths and your weaknesses is an enormous factor within the league. Clearly, [you] don’t attempt to go hit a 215-pound linebacker… DeShaun got here into the league at 169. He understood his strengths.”
Whereas there’s time so as to add weight earlier than the season begins in September, Worthy isn’t planning on constructing his distinctive body.
“I do know I’m going to mess around 170 — within the 175 vary,” Worthy asserted. “I’ll be high-quality.”
After the Chiefs’ amenities graded poorly within the NFLPA survey executed earlier this 12 months, the Web was able to poke enjoyable at Worthy’s first impression of the Kansas Metropolis locker room — as a result of Texas boasts state-of-the-art tools and sources. A recording of Worthy nonchalantly observing his new spot had unfold on social media — and the rookie was able to be requested about it.
“I knew that query was going to return,” he chuckled. “I’m not going to lie: that image was simply misinterpreted. I wasn’t trying on the locker room. No manner! I don’t actually care a couple of locker room. I’m simply right here to play ball.”
Requested to increase, Worthy stated it’s not truthful to match the amenities anyway.
“I really feel like the one purpose why school amenities are like that’s to get gamers to be like ‘Oh, wow! That is what it’s like,’” he defined. “It’s actually not. It’s the identical factor because the NFL. It’s actually simply toys in school versus the NFL.”
Worthy doesn’t look like a participant who may very well be wooed with a shiny new locker room. As an alternative, he’s intrigued by how effectively Kansas Metropolis can make the most of his expertise on the sphere — and it’s clear that with the Chiefs, he has robust confidence he might be a worthwhile playmaker.
