Xavier Worthy a ‘Threat’ for Punt Returns, Versatile Offensive Role

In the Kansas City Chiefs’ opening preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, their starters didn’t log a ton of snaps on either side of the ball. Offensively, everyone from Patrick Mahomes down to his offensive line got just one series of work before heading to the sideline for the evening.

That mostly includes rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy, although he did start the next drive with one additional rep before calling it a day. The first-round pick didn’t even notch a target in his five snaps played, yet he managed to stand out anyway because of his blazing speed.

With Marquise “Hollywood” Brown temporarily on the shelf with a sternoclavicular injury, more pressure could be put on Worthy to perform immediately. The No. 28 overall selection from back in April built a pre-draft profile as a lethal offensive weapon capable of threatening all levels of a defense. Speaking to the media this week, Worthy seemed hopeful that similar opportunities will be present in Kansas City.

“It’s huge,” Worthy said. “Obviously in college, I kind of had the freedom to get the ball anywhere on the field – reverses, bubbles, deep passes, intermediate. So just being able to have that here [and] being able to get the ball in my hands, I feel like I’ll be a threat with the ball in my hands.”

With that said, he surely would’ve loved a chance to show that off a bit more in Saturday’s loss. He said he wanted to bring back a punt, too.

“I wanted one of those punt returns for sure, definitely,” Worthy said. “But they took us off the field. I was like, ‘Dang, I can’t get a punt return?’ It was messed up, but I understand (laughs).”

Special teams is something Worthy can absolutely factor into as a rookie. In recent seasons, the Chiefs have experimented with other wideouts like Skyy Moore, Mecole Hardman and Kadarius Toney in the role. While Moore is capable, Hardman is more experienced and Toney has a big-time return in the Super Bowl on his resume, none of the three are sure-fire picks. Worthy’s name should be considered as much as anyone else’s.