Three years ago, the Kansas City Chiefs made one of the most polarizing moves in the NFL Draft. On paper, Xavier Worthy would give Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes the speedster they needed after losing Tyreek Hill, but there were also some concerns.
As fast and twitchy as he was, Worthy was, and still is, tiny at just over 160 lbs. His small, lanky frame raised doubts about his ability to make an impact against NFL-caliber competition, or even to withstand the wear and tear of a full season.
Fast forward to today, in what should be a breakout year three, the doubters were right all along. Even when Worthy has been healthy, he has been a complete non-factor, with three duds in as many weeks. It's about time for his snaps to be reduced, making way for other players deserving an opportunity.
The Kansas City Chiefs must be honest with themselves about Xavier Worthy
Worthy went against the Miami Dolphins' struggling defense on Sunday afternoon, and he left the game with two catches on as many targets for 20 yards. He has yet to reach 30 yards in a single game this season, and that's despite having five receptions in Week 2.
Worthy showed some flashes as a rookie, especially when they used him in a multitude of ways. The coaching staff doesn't seem to trust him in that role anymore, perhaps because of his fragile body, and he's not doing much in the air, either, along with the occasional drop
Granted, it's not like the Chiefs have a ton of options at the position, but they can't just keep doing the same thing. Maybe it's time they finally give rookie Cyrus Allen a chance to prove that his strong training camp and preseason weren't just empty noise. Even Tyquan Thornton has done more in a limited role.
For too long, the Chiefs have just hoped that Patrick Mahomes will bail them out, and that's a disservice to the greatest player in franchise history. Just because he's given them this much with a limited set of weapons doesn't mean that has to be the case forever.
Maybe they should try to bring Hill back when he's at full strength, or perhaps they should roll the dice on trade candidates like Jerry Jeudy or Brian Thomas Jr. It's also clear that week by week, second-year man Jalen Royals is also gaining the trust of Mahomes, scoring a touchdown a week ago and converting a first down on his lone catch.
Whatever the case, it's about time Worthy began watching more of the game from the sidelines. Perhaps it'll be the wake-up call he clearly needs to ignite a fire in him and live up to the expectations as a hyped-up first-round pick.
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