Things are looking way up in the Kansas City Chiefs‘ wide receiver room as compared to a couple of days ago when the team had yet to deal for Josh Downs and Xavier Worthy’s hamstring injury put his playing status in question.
But as of Wednesday, November 11, Downs is working with the offense to get ready for Kansas City’s road contest against the Falcons this weekend, and Worthy is trending in a positive direction with signs he might be able to get on the field in Atlanta just four days from now.
“Coach Reid says Xavier Worthy (hamstring), who is schedule to practice today, is ‘feeling pretty good,'” Matt McMullen of Chiefs.com reported via X.
Worthy strained his hamstring during the fourth quarter of the Chiefs’ Week 9 victory over the New York Jets at Arrowhead Stadium. The injury added urgency to what was already a difficult situation in the WR room with Tyquan Thornton out for several more contests to come following a dislocated ankle he suffered in Week 4.
Chiefs Will Incorporate New WR Josh Downs Early, Often Starting in Atlanta Week 10
Downs now enters the fold and should step into a significant role immediately.
He is not the deep threat fill-in for Thornton that could potentially reshape the Chiefs’ offense given just how well Patrick Mahomes can stretch a field when his personnel gives him the chance coupled with elite play from the running back position most weeks following the addition of Kenneth Walker III.
But Downs is quick to separate off the snap and incredibly difficult for defenders to stay with in man-coverage looks. He excels at making plays after the catch, which is also a specialty of Chiefs wideout Rashee Rice.
“No team throws more screens and quick passes than the Chiefs, which will serve Downs’ separation ability from the slot well,” Ben Solak of ESPN wrote Tuesday. “I personally don’t think Downs has enough talent as a downfield or contested catch receiver to reach the billing the Chiefs need him to. But it’s worth the swing for only an exchange of Day 3 picks.”
Chiefs Can Still Sign Tyreek Hill in Free Agency to Serve as Deep Threat
Kansas City still has a path to adding the deep threat they’re missing in the form of Tyreek Hill.
Whether the team will go through with it, and whether Hill has the requisite athletic ability to fill that role following a catastrophic knee injury a little over one year ago are the relevant questions.
“On @PatMcAfeeShow Tyreek Hill’s agent @DrewJRosenhaus said Hill has not been medically cleared yet, but is expected to be medically cleared in a few weeks,” James Palmer of NFL on Prime reported via X. “Any team that doesn’t land a WR could be potentially interested in Hill as a free agent as an option.”
Chiefs Get More Good News at WR After Josh Downs Trade