The Kansas City Chiefs remain unclear on when a potential return for injured receiver Xavier Worthy might be. Opening the season with a loss was frustrating; however, for a group this experienced and proven, the bigger story was the loss of Worthy while Rashee Rice remains suspended. Whether or not the Chiefs need to make a corresponding move to attempt to give Patrick Mahomes a better chance is dependent upon Worthy's return. Something that conflicting reports make difficult to decipher.
When Andy Reid spoke to reporters earlier, the update the coach offered didn't sound alarming. Reid mentioned that it was "day-to-day" and something they would continue to monitor moving forward.
Reading this with a glass-half-full approach would suggest a level of hopefulness that the speedster could quickly return to the lineup. If the shoulder dislocation wasn't as serious as it first appeared, there is some level of hope for a surprise September return. Reid's comments appeared to serve as confirmation of this.
Chiefs Fans Continue to Debate Xavier Worthy's Future as Conflicting Injury Reports Emerge
However, respected NFL insider Adam Schefter appeared on the Pat McAfee show to offer an update with a different tenor. Schefter suggested that Worthy was going to "miss a little bit of time" and is listed as week to week. This is far less exciting than Reid's choice of words, which suggested a return could happen very quickly. Losing Worthy against the Eagles in Week 2 is obviously far from ideal when you're facing a defense that has full confidence coming into Arrowhead.
While many of the pieces have changed, the core remains the same. Kansas City also has the misfortune of dealing with a motivated Jalen Carter, who is yet to play a snap due to getting tossed in Thursday's game. All of this appears to add up to Kansas City needing to weather an early storm due to the loss of both Worthy and Rice.
A more positive angle would be pointing out that Kansas City appears to be fueled by doubt and speculation that its dynastic run is coming to an end. Judging from both Reid and Schefter, it is clear the receiver isn't viewed as being in any danger of missing the rest of the season. This is being viewed as a short-term injury that the Chiefs want to take seriously, understanding the long road ahead.
Setting up the Kansas City offense to get hot at the perfect time with Rice and Worthy returning and breathing life back into the offense. This serves as a chance for lesser-proven players to step up and gain the confidence of Reid and Mahomes. Serving as a positive when the Chiefs need a play from an overlooked option once the stars return to the lineup.
Still, it isn't ideal to be missing your primary targets with little specific information on Worthy's expected return. It is a situation fans will continue to keep a close eye on as we near Sunday's Super Bowl rematch in Arrowhead.