The Kansas City Chiefs had high expectations when they took Texas' Xavier Worthy with the No. 28 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. On paper, he had the skill set and body of work to become their new Tyreek Hill.
The Chiefs spoon-fed him for most of his rookie season. They put just enough on Worthy's plate to have him show glimpses of strong play as a speedster and a gadget player. Even so, the numbers weren't that impressive.
Worthy entered last season with higher expectations, and he failed to live up to them. Granted, he suffered a torn labrum on the third play of the season. But now that he's back to full strength, there's no more wiggle room or time for excuses. It's now or never.
Xavier Worthy has run out of excuses for lack of high-end production
Worthy was reportedly still dealing with the lingering shoulder injury early on in training camp. It's been weeks, and he's now fully healthy and should have no limitations for the season opener vs. the Denver Broncos.
Injuries are the worst part of any professional sport, and they're mostly inevitable. He shouldn't be blamed for not being able to stay on the field. That said, availability is a must in this line of business, and just because this isn't his fault doesn't mean Worthy should continue to get a pass or the benefit of the doubt.
We've seen countless promising careers derailed and/or cut short by injuries. And if that's going to be the case with Worthy, it's time the Chiefs start thinking of potential alternatives to move on from their former first-round selection.
At the end of the day, the NFL is a business first and foremost, and the fact is, the Chiefs haven't gotten a strong return on their investment. They'll have to decide whether to pick up Worthy's fifth-player option after this season, so he's essentially playing for his future now.
Perhaps expecting him to be Tyreek Hill 2.0 was never fair or realistic, but expecting him to be available shouldn't be a tall ask. There were major concerns about his lanky frame, but the Chiefs still looked the other way.
On paper, this team can have an explosive passing game again, now that Eric Bieniemy is back in town as their offensive coordinator. Even so, the margin for error is pretty much non-existent, and while not even the most optimistic fan expects Worthy to avoid the injury report for a full season, he has to show some teeth and deliver regardless.
Add us as a preferred source on Google