Chiefs’ Justin Watson’s big game vs. Bears points to depth of WR room

With all the thrill in seeing the vast receivers which can be carrying the Kansas City Chiefs’ uniform for the primary time, it was a shocking identify that stole the present in Saturday’s 19-14 loss to the Chicago Bears in NFL Preseason Week 1.

Fifth-year vast receiver Justin Watson led the workforce with 5 receptions on six targets, totaling 45 yards and scoring on a 22-yard landing strike proper earlier than halftime. All of his work got here with backup quarterbacks Chad Henne and Shane Buechele — however that doesn’t imply he’s only a reserve.

He was projected because the fifth vast receiver going into the sport, and his efficiency solely solidified that. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes is proud of that: he hyped him up each probability he was requested about him this offseason in order that he may’ve felt some validation with Watson’s efficiency in Chicago.

“You’ve seen all of it coaching camp, and I noticed all of it OTAs,” Mahomes reminded reporters in his post-game press convention. “He can fly, however he’s a much bigger man that may make these robust catches.”

The third-down scoring play actually put the talents Mahomes mentions on show. Buechele’s throw allowed Watson to highpoint it away from defenders, which didn’t go unnoticed by the receiver.

“Huge-time props to Shane,” Watson started in his personal post-game presser. “We had two five-yard routes on the skin — however Shane noticed it was a two-high, break up safeties and noticed that void within the center there. He yelled out to me for me to run that submit route, form of audibled it.”

The landing wasn’t the one contested catch that Watson hauled in on Saturday. His second catch of the day was a leaping, high-pointing catch over a cornerback on a shorter route.

“It’s good to see him not solely present his pace however have the ability to make these robust catches throughout the center of the sector and get ultimately zone,” Mahomes remarked of Watson.

The contested grabs weren’t unique to Watson on Saturday. Broad receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling made a powerful catch with a defender draped on him through the first possession, however rookie Skyy Moore additionally had a number of robust receptions. Watson sees that as a theme for this 12 months’s offense.

“I believe it’ll look a bit bit completely different this 12 months,” Watson admitted. “We undoubtedly have some big-body routes for Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Juju Smith-Schuster… There’s a variety of expertise on the market, a variety of playmakers — I believe it’s going to be thrilling as an offense.”

Valdes-Scantling was practically the one scoring a landing on a deep go. On the Chiefs’ first possession, a play-action go resulted within the veteran vast receiver working vertically with inside leverage on the cornerback and a throwing window. Mahomes went to him, however the disrupted go safety pressured a nasty throw.

“I used to be attempting to make that throw, and clearly my arm obtained hit, and I didn’t make the throw,” Mahomes acknowledged. “However it was good to see him get open on man-to-man protection down there within the purple zone.”

Valdes-Scantling did get a reception, although, on a third-down play a number of snaps later. With Mahomes stepping as much as his proper, Valdes-Scantling sealed off a defender and held open a throwing window again to the within — securing the correct go with robust arms.

It was a superb instance of how comfy they already really feel with one another.

“With Marquez particularly, being with Aaron [Rodgers], he’s accomplished a variety of that in his profession to date,” Mahomes spoke of that individual recreation state of affairs. “You’ve seen Juju in coaching camp doing the identical stuff, and clearly guys like Mecole [Hardman] and Travis [Kelce] are at all times going to have the ability to try this.”

The record of names that may be concerned on this 12 months’s offense will get longer and longer every time it’s talked about — but it surely’s probably not an exaggeration. This offense is shaping into a bunch with robust depth in its’ receiving corps, which Mahomes sees the good thing about.

“It’s going to return from in all places,” Mahomes emphasised. “You noticed six completely different receivers, however Juju didn’t even get a catch, you didn’t see any of the opposite tight ends get catches, or any of the opposite working backs. I believe it’s going to return from in all places this 12 months, it’s going to be exhausting for groups to recreation plan towards.”

The opening week of preseason doesn’t give us many robust classes — but it surely was a reminder that the thrill of the Chiefs’ vast receiver place extends to Watson, who understands the area of interest position he shall be taking part in this season.

“That’s what this 12 months shall be for me: supporting these guys — MVS, Juju, Mecole — anytime my quantity known as on,” Watson assured. “You possibly can put me within the first quarter, second quarter, third quarter, fourth quarter, we may line up in St. Joe, in Chicago, anyplace, anytime, I’m able to make a play for these guys at quarterback.”

There appear to be 5 locks for the 53-man roster among the many Chiefs’ vast receivers — and Watson has earned the idea from the workforce and his quarterback to be a kind of.