The ups and downs of a player’s rookie season can take a toll on their mindset heading into a new year. The lessons learned, and invaluable experience gained can either propel the player forward or doom them to regression.
The Kansas City Chiefs pride themselves on developing young talent, especially in the secondary. Jaylen Watson was a key contributor for the Chiefs last season as a rookie and is looking to take the next step in his development in 2023. He discussed feeling much more comfortable entering his second season during his press conference following Tuesday’s practice.
“I’m super – I mean everything just slows down and the process just seems a lot slower than it did last year,” said Watson, “Just everything (was) happening so fast, the offense moving so fast, now that I know what I’m doing and the guys I’m playing next to, I can move faster and more comfortable.”
Watson is optimistic about the new season, feeling comfortable and being a trusted part of the defensive unit.
“I just try to stay consistent; I think that’s what [Defensive Coordinator] Coach [Steve] Spags [Spagnuolo] looks for who can he trust on the field,” Watson explained. “That’s what I try to do when we practice, I try to show the coaches that they can trust me to be in the right spots and the right places and my teammates can too.”
Watson will be in the mix this season for more substantial playing time and will soon get his chance to show what he can do on the field in Kansas City’s first preseason game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
