The race to become Patrick Mahomes’ go-to target is on at Kansas City Chiefs training camp, and with so many new faces in the mix, it remains an open competition.
One of the few players with experience catching balls from the MVP signal-caller is veteran pass-catcher Josh Gordon, who remains one of the most enigmatic talents in the NFL. He talked to reporters on Monday about where he is at in his first camp under Andy Reid, and he told the media that he hopes to build on the momentum he is carrying over from last season.
“[I’m] very comfortable. Very comfortable,” Gordon explained of his current mindset. “The playbook it’s similar now. I think we changed it a little bit, but (it’s) more or less the same. So, it’s been easy for me to adapt to it (and) kind of carry-over from last year.”
Though he has the potential to become an ace up the sleeve of the NFL’s most exciting offense, Gordon knows he is up against some of the best receivers in the league for a chance to compete in 2022. He continued his comments with high praise for his peers, reflecting the reality of his situation in Kansas City.
“It’s a great group of guys,” Gordon said of the receiver group. “It’s a lot of talent. We’re very deep, extremely fast. It’s highly competitive. I think it’s a perfect nature to groom young men for excellence, especially on the football field, and off as well just as far as being disciplined, knowing how we got to edge out the competition – not only each other for the sake of our livelihood – but the other team, most importantly.”
Asked what he needs to do in order to make the Chiefs’ 53-man roster, Gordon’s answer was simple.
“Make plays when coach asks me to,” Gordon exclaimed.
He added that the preseason will give him an opportunity to do just that. Andy Reid seems to recognize the uphill battle Gordon faces against the younger competition, and made a point to call attention to the work he has done in camp.
“Josh has really attacked it,” Reid told reporters on Monday. “The last few days here, he’s had really good days. Again, I appreciate his effort and he’s kind of the senior citizen of that group. He’s the older receiver in that mix and has had success in this league and the way he approaches it is full throttle. He’s going for it and there is great competition, but for him to be in there doing what he is doing, I appreciate every snap he takes.”
Time will tell if Gordon can wriggle his way onto the final roster, and Saturday’s first preseason matchup in Chicago could be a make-or-break moment of his time in Kansas City. If he flashes the talent that made him an All-Pro selection in 2013, it would be hard for the Chiefs to pass up the abilities he possesses in the wake of Tyreek Hill’s departure in the offseason.