‘Very important player’: Under-the-radar Chiefs WR might hear his number called often
Of all the revelations to come out of the receivers camp Patrick Mahomes conducted in Texas last year — a camp that helped pave the way to a second Super Bowl victory in four years — maybe this one was the most surprising:
In the wake of Tyreek Hill’s departure and general flux among the team’s receivers, well-known newcomers such as JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling were among those on hand. But the host/quarterback was compelled to call general manager Brett Veach not about them, but a relatively anonymous addition who was at once under the radar and off the charts.
That was former Tampa Bay Buc Justin Watson, who had missed almost the entire 2021 season with a knee injury and otherwise had 23 receptions in three-plus seasons confined to a subordinate role.
Speaking with Veach, Mahomes recalled last May, “I was, like, ‘Wait, how fast is this guy?’ He was running so fast that I was late on my throws.”
That “dude,” Mahomes emphasized, “can roll.”
To borrow from “The Big Lebowski,” that was where the dude also began to abide in the eyes of Mahomes.
Enjoying his trust from the get-go, Watson had two catches for 50 yards and a touchdown in a 27-24 victory against the Chargers in Week Two.
He was on the receiving end of Mahomes’ longest connection of the season, good for 67 yards in the regular-season finale at Las Vegas, and he had two catches for 18 yards in the 38-35 Super Bowl victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Afterward, he was among those sharing a hug with coach Andy Reid in the locker room.
“It was super special to be a part of that,” Watson said in an interview with The Star after the Chiefs practiced Sunday at Missouri Western State University. “To go get one for a guy like coach Reid that you just love playing for, it was awesome.”
That was, in fact, the second Super Bowl ring for Watson. But it was one he’d yearned to experience after the bittersweet feeling of being inactive when the Bucs beat the Chiefs on their home field in Super Bowl LV.
And the distinction speaks to why he was eager to re-sign this offseason with the Chiefs — who had been in touch in 2018 to tell him they were considering drafting him and gave him a fresh chance — and how he believes he can contribute more this season.
“This year, really, the expectation is perfection,” he said. “You’re chasing that next level of being perfect, being great, on every single play.”
While his 15 receptions last year matched his best NFL season and his 21.0 yards a catch (for 315 yards) was the best on the team (MVS was second with 16.4, discounting Ronald Jones’ one catch for 22 yards), he’s among those aiming to amass some of the production lost with the departures of Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman.
With ample reason, you’ll hear a lot more talk about Skyy Moore being ready to make a big jump this year, which I also believe. And the immense potential of Kadarius Toney … if he can stay healthy.
And, of course, second-round draft pick Rashee Rice. And Richie James, who had 57 catches for the Giants last season. Along with Justyn Ross, who sat out last season following foot surgery.
To say nothing of the ever-percolating plans to deploy a galaxy of tight ends behind superstar Travis Kelce.
All intriguing stuff, to be sure. But I see plenty more in Watson, too.
Which I guess makes this about the right time and spot for my obligatory disclaimer:
Watson played at the University of Pennsylvania, where some years before him I played “left out” as a receiver who seldom saw the field. So I feel a certain sense of kinship with him.
Not to mention admiration of him for his love of his brother Tommy, who was born with cerebral palsy and has been a profound inspiration to Justin.
So, yes, I hope he flourishes.
But it’s not just sentimental reasoning.
Of the 14 receivers on the roster as of Sunday, only MVS (4.37), Toney (4.39) and Moore (4.41) had faster 40 times than Watson (4.42) coming out of college.
Consider, too, that among returning Chiefs wide receivers Watson was second only to MVS in targets last season (albeit by an 81-34 margin).
More to the point, Mahomes isn’t the only one whose trust he’s earned.
“He’s 100 miles an hour every snap; he’s going to give (Mahomes) a legitimate look every snap,” Reid said Sunday. “And then he’s very detailed. He’s obviously very smart. And then you add in the big target and the speed, you can work with that.
“He doesn’t get a lot of credit — especially with the young guys that are jumping in. They get most of the write-ups, but this kid, he’s a talented player for us. Very important player for us.”
It was important for Watson to return here, he said, because it felt like home to the 27-year-old who became a father in the offseason.
And he feels all the more at home now, including since he’s close with new reserve quarterback Blaine Gabbert, with whom he played in Tampa.
Gabbert, he said, was one of his closest friends. Enough so that they were working out together in Tampa when each was in free agency. After Watson signed back with the Chiefs, among six or seven teams that made what he called real offers but the one he wanted all along, he put a “full-court press” on Gabbert to come here, too.
Meanwhile, though, he expects to build on an already thriving relationship with Mahomes — whom he called “the best quarterback in the NFL and and the whole world.”
“You have a whole year of watching film together, talking about routes, talking about coverage,” he said. “And so, sometimes we line up and just kind of know what we’re seeing before the ball’s even snapped.”
Which could mean a bigger role for the dude who can roll.
This story was originally published July 31, 2023 at 6:30 AM with the headline "‘Very important player’: Under-the-radar Chiefs WR might hear his number called often."