Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes: WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling has 'done a great job of learning the offense'

The Kansas City Chiefs had one of the NFL's unique weapons leave their offense this offseason when six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Tyreek Hill was traded to the Miami Dolphins in March. Kansas City later took a flier on former Green Bay Packers wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who was coming off a down campaign that he finished with just 26 catches for 430 yards and three touchdowns across 11 regular-season games. 

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes offered some high praise for his new teammate while speaking with reporters at the end of mandatory minicamp last week. 

"I think he’s done a great job of learning the offense really fast and making plays when his number’s been called," Mahomes said of Valdes-Scantling, per Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. "He’s a smart guy, so you can see why he’s able to pick up stuff so fast. And he has a good feel for everything, especially there in the earlier part when we had a couple of guys banged up — he got a lot of reps and made a lot of plays." 

Mahomes suggested that he'll look to hit on some home-run plays with Valdes-Scantling, as he used to do with Hill, beginning in September. 

"So you saw a couple of them down the sideline where it was one-on-one and I just threw it up and let him make a play and he did," Mahomes remarked. "So that’s a good thing to see and hopefully it carries on in training camp and into the season." 

In 59 career regular-season contests, Valdes-Scantling recorded 123 receptions on 247 targets for 2,153 yards and 13 touchdowns. The 27-year-old will be looking to bounce back in a big way following what was largely a season to forget.