Damien Woody and the “First Take” crew discuss whether Patrick Mahomes should feel disrespected by his peers for being ranked outside the top 3 of the top 100 players. (1:55)
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — When the Kansas City Chiefs signed Marquise “Hollywood” Brown as a free agent during the offseason, he immediately became their most accomplished and experienced wide receiver.
The Chiefs are doing without him for the time being after Brown dislocated his shoulder on the first scrimmage play of last week’s preseason opener. The Chiefs are expecting Brown back in their lineup early in the season but not necessarily in time for the Sept. 5 opener against the Baltimore Ravens.
Patrick Mahomes said the Chiefs were feeling his absence.
“I guess we’re lucky that it wasn’t as bad as it could have been,” Mahomes said Thursday as the Chiefs concluded training camp at Missouri Western State University. “We lose a little bit of that veteran type receiver in that room. We have other guys that can replace him a little bit, but to have that much talent and have a good understanding of what I want … hopefully we’re getting him back sooner rather than later.
“We’ve just got to keep pushing those young [receivers] to keep getting better and better every day.”
One of the young receivers Mahomes referred to is Xavier Worthy, the Chiefs’ first-round draft pick. Mahomes threw numerous passes to Worthy in camp in an effort to get him acclimated in the offense.
The first play of the Chiefs’ game last week was intended to go to Worthy, who ran a post pattern. But the Jacksonville Jaguars brought pressure, and Mahomes had to get rid of the ball quickly to Brown, who was tackled and landed on his shoulder.
“We want to try to see what he can do as live as you can get before the season,” Mahomes said of Worthy. “You want to give him chances to go out there and make plays in that live action.
“Defenses are accounting for that as well, too. So it’s trying to find that balance.”
Mahomes also talked about the behind-the-back pass he threw in a recent practice to Isiah Pacheco. Mahomes said there’s “definitely a possibility” of him throwing behind his back in a game.
“If you do it,” he said, “it’s got to work.
“It was a good day for the offense, especially that last period. I had kind of got it going and you get a few completions and then once you’re kind of having a good day, you have the freedom to kind of try stuff like that. Obviously, if stuff’s not working out well, you don’t have that opportunity. So it was cool that I completed it. It’s just you want to get in a live type atmosphere and that’s as live as you’re going to get in practice.”
Mahomes said coach Andy Reid has been asking him to try a behind-the-back pass if he’s comfortable doing it.
“I’m telling you, he’s all for it,'” Mahomes said. “It’s me that’s the one that’s hesitant to do it in the game.”
The Chiefs conducted the last camp practice without offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor, who has a shoulder injury. Reid said Taylor wouldn’t play in Saturday’s preseason game against the Detroit Lions but didn’t think his absence would be extended.
“I think he’s going to be OK,” Reid said.