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Adam Teicher
In main the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs‘ working backs and broad receivers by means of a passing camp in his dwelling state of Texas, Patrick Mahomes is attending to see what he noticed solely in coaching camp final yr.
That is a lineup that features the group’s prime three wideouts: Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown. Accidents stored Rice and Brown out for many of final season, leaving solely Worthy, then a rookie.
Seeing them collectively once more has Mahomes hopeful the Chiefs can have the big-play passing sport in 2025 that they lacked final season.
“Every thing seems to be nice proper now getting the fellows again and wholesome,” Mahomes stated. “I believe the offense has an opportunity to be actually, actually good. The core group can be again in its entirety, so the aim is to attempt to construct on it and get even higher and attempt to get again to a number of the explosive passing performs that we have finished in years previous.”
Rice was main the NFL in catches with 24 final yr by means of the primary three video games earlier than a knee harm ended his season. After throwing to Rice within the passing camp, Mahomes stated he expects the broad receiver to play like he was earlier than the harm.
“The expectations are excessive,” Mahomes stated. “He seems to be actually good. He’s working routes, he is catching the soccer. I do not know once we get again into the precise OTAs [in May] how a lot he’ll have the ability to do, however he is been in a position to do all the things right here so far as working routes and all the things like that.
“I do know it was unlucky how he bought harm final yr, but it surely was so early within the season that he will get just about an entire offseason, which I believe can be huge going into this season.”
The Chiefs have been inspired final yr by what they noticed in coaching camp from Brown, a free agent addition. However Brown suffered a sternoclavicular harm on the primary play of the preseason and, after surgical procedure, returned in time to play solely two video games within the common season plus all three playoff video games. His contributions in these 5 video games have been minimal, with 14 receptions for 141 yards.
“It is exhausting to throw guys in on the finish of the season and attempt to give him an enormous function,” Mahomes stated. “I used to be blissful to have him again on the finish of the season and for him to form of get again in inside the offense, however I believe now with hopefully him having the total offseason and coaching camp and maintain staying wholesome and proceed to [expand] his function much more. You may see when he will get to soccer in his arms and he has an enormous function in our offense, it makes everyone go.”
Worthy wound up being the Chiefs’ main broad receiver with 59 catches and 638 yards. He additionally caught two 50-yard passes in Tremendous Bowl LIX towards the Philadelphia Eagles, however each got here after the Chiefs had fallen far behind.
“We needed to push the envelope, and also you noticed Xavier making some huge performs down the sector,” Mahomes stated. “Making an attempt to take a constructive away from that and from the remainder of the season as nicely is that we have got the fellows. It is about me trusting them, making the throws downfield and letting them make performs.”
