Chiefs WR Justyn Ross' legend grows with latest praise from Patrick Mahomes
Kansas City Chiefs WR Justyn Ross is doing all of the right things to make the 53-man roster. In preseason Week 1, Ross validated all of the offseason hype he'd amassed in just a few opportunities. The following week, he earned some opportunities with the first-team offense and made the absolute most of his work with […]
Kansas City Chiefs WR Justyn Ross is doing all of the right things to make the 53-man roster.
In preseason Week 1, Ross validated all of the offseason hype he'd amassed in just a few opportunities. The following week, he earned some opportunities with the first-team offense and made the absolute most of his work with Patrick Mahomes. The first target was a drop, but Mahomes would go back to Ross later that drive.
On third-and-4 against the Cardinals, during a "gotta have it" drive for the Chiefs' starting offense, Ross pulled off some fancy route-running with an impressive whip route for a 12-yard gain. It was one of just two receptions for Ross on four targets.
“It was a good play, we wanted to get him singled up and see what he can do," Mahomes said. "He’s been making those happen all training camp, I think you’ve all seen that. We had a slant and return play call, and it’s a lot of trust in him that he’s going to win. And he ran a great route, lost the defensive back, caught the ball, and got up the field after the catch."
What the Chiefs have seemingly learned during the past two weeks is that Ross is crafty enough to consistently get open in 1-on-1 situations. With the defense likely paying the most attention to Travis Kelce, that could prove to be a useful tool during the course of the regular season.
Beyond the trust this pair has seemingly built, Mahomes believes that Ross has all the tools and traits to be a standout in this offense. He knows that he's virtually a rookie out there, but that he's entirely different from any other receiver they have on the team.
"He’s got a lot of talent, we’ve said it," Mahomes said of Ross. "A rookie, throwing him out there, and giving him chances, and he has stepped up whenever his number has been called. He’s a different receiver out of anyone else, with how big he is, how fluid he is, and how he can catch the football.”
We'll see how Ross is deployed come the regular season, but it's hard to imagine any other trajectory but up for the second-year wideout.
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