The Kansas City Chiefs were not the only team looking to trade with the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft to select wide receiver Xavier Worthy.
According to former NFL executive Michael Lombardi, the New England Patriots, who had the third overall pick, were actively trying to trade back into the first round to acquire Worthy.
“[The Bills] had an opportunity to take a deal from New England. New England was in high-speed pursuit of Worthy. They wanted Worthy badly,” Lombardi said on the May 31 episode of “The Pat McAfee Show.” “They were making calls to get that pick, and Buffalo had them on the phone, and so was Kansas City.”
If Lombardi’s assertion is accurate, then the Bills opted to let one of their conference rivals — and a team that has consistently bested them in the postseason — obtain Worthy instead of their rebuilding division rival.
That’s an odd decision, to say the least.
Patrick Mahomes Wanted Xavier Worthy Before KC Drafted Him
Kansas City was eager to trade up to select Worthy on Day One of the draft because the Chiefs’ superstar quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, wanted to throw passes to Worthy, according to ESPN’s Jason Reid.
“They moved up to get a player who was clocked at 4.21 seconds in the 40-yard dash — the fastest time ever — and he’s the guy quarterback Patrick Mahomes wanted most,” Reid wrote in a story published May 7.
Receivers Marvin Harrison Jr. (fourth overall), Malik Nabers (sixth overall), Rome Odunze (ninth overall) and Brian Thomas Jr. (23rd overall) were all selected before Worthy in the draft and were better overall prospects leading up to the draft compared to Worthy.
But given Worthy’s skill set and what Mahomes has had success with in the past, it’s not a complete surprise — though it is still a little surprising considering how talented those other prospects are — that Mahomes wanted Worthy the most.
Patrick Mahomes Has Taken Note of Xavier Worthy’s Intelligence
Speaking to the media after the third day of the team’s first set of organized team activities (OTAs), Mahomes discussed what stood out to him regarding Worthy, who was mending a hamstring tweak during OTAs.
“I think you can tell how intelligent [Worthy] is, he is asking the right questions,” Mahomes said during his press conference on May 22. “Before he had the hamstring thing he was getting in, he was getting the work in. Sometimes it’s tough with those guys coming off combine training and they want to prove what they can do from day one and little injuries like that happen. We’re going to be precautionary right now – he could probably get out there if we really wanted him to.
“You can see he’s sitting right beside the guys asking all the right questions and whenever he does get back on the field, I’m excited to get to work with him.”
Hopefully for the Chiefs, Worthy can be on the field for the team’s next set of OTAs, which will take place from June 4 to June 7.
