Training camp (over)reactions: Xavier Worthy's release and muck navigating
Training camp (over)reactions: Xavier Worthy's release and muck navigating
Starting a series in which we (over)react to various things going on at Chiefs training camp, starting with their rookie WR starting to build some hype.
The start of NFL training camp is (generally) a time of sunshine and rainbows. The players are excited to be back (for a while, though Andy Reid’s camps tend to wear guys down and occasionally even result in a retirement that doesn’t take). The fans are psyched to get their first look at this season’s team. And everyone is hanging on every single rep in camp to try and figure out what it will all mean when the season starts.
As we talked about last week, it’s when the pads come on at training camp that real football begins. I wrote about 11 players I’m keeping my eyes on as camp progresses, and I couldn’t be more excited to try and figure out what this season holds for the Chiefs dynasty (MAN that’s fun to say). With information being relatively sparse (after all, there are no actual games to watch and break down right now), it’s easy for us to react and overreact to every single rep in practice, every single word in pressers, and every single tweet about each player (especially the ones that confirm our prior opinions).
With that spirit of (over)reaction in mind, I thought it’d be fun to write a few times (or more) during camp about things that catch my eye and give us all a chance to dive into the fray of training camp takes. So welcome to Part 1 of training camp (over)reactions, where we break down in absurd detail reps that may mean nothing… but have just enough “meat” to them to possibly mean SOMETHING.
And who else would we start with but Xavier Worthy? The rookie WR has already (despite fighting off a bout of strep throat) gotten some hype both before and after the pads came on.
Let’s (over)react to a rep from Worthy in practice Sunday that made me sit up, and talk about caught my attention. Remember, what we’re looking for in training camp (similar to preseason games) are what I’d refer to as translatable and repeatable traits. In other words, I don’t care as much about the final result of the play as much as I care about how we got there. Did the player in question show traits that generally TRANSLATE to success in the NFL and are REPEATABLE week in and week out?
Keep that in mind, and let’s (over)react to Xavier Worthy, particularly on this snap.
(First of all, shout out to Rob Collins for the terrific camera work here, follow him on X for more Chiefs camp content)
I want to break down a couple of aspects of this rep that I think aren’t being talked about enough as the highlight makes the rounds online. Most of the excitement has been about Worthy showing good ball skills and making a contested catch at the end of the play, but that’s actually a part of this snap that (given Worthy’s skillset and how the Chiefs generally utilize their WR’s) I’m not too concerned about (though it was a nice box out and grab, make no mistake).
Rather, I’m much more interested in what happened prior to the catch. Specifically, at the line of scrimmage and in the middle of the route. Because that’s where I saw the translatable, repeatable skillset.