KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Wide receiver Demarcus Robinson was probably going to stick with the Kansas City Chiefs regardless of how he fared in Thursday night’s final preseason game against the Tennessee Titans.
He appeared to erase all doubt by catching passes of 53, 46 and 28 yards, the last one going for a touchdown, from quarterback Patrick Mahomes II in the Chiefs’ 30-6 win.
The Chiefs had been looking for one of their younger receivers to step forward. Two rookies, Jehu Chesson and Marcus Kemp, had some nice moments during training camp and the preseason but not to the point where they would threaten for playing time.
Robinson, who has received some work with the first team, could break into the playing rotation when the regular season begins on Sept. 7 against the Patriots in New England. After a strong showing in offseason practice, when he was singled out for his play by coach Andy Reid, Robinson had been quiet for much of camp and the preseason until Thursday night.
“He started out strong in camp and then he kind of went through that rookie lull in there,’’ Reid said of Robinson, who isn’t a rookie. He was a fourth-round draft pick last year but played mostly on special teams as a rookie. “I thought the last two weeks he’s really come on. For him to come out and have a day like he did today is good. He needed that. The quarterbacks have trust in him, which is important.’’
Robinson got open on a deep post pattern for the 53-yard gain and again got behind coverage to make his touchdown catch in the end zone. The most spectacular of his plays came when Mahomes was flushed from the pocket and was running to his right but still got the ball to Robinson 46 yards down the field despite throwing across his body.
“I saw that he was scrambling, and I knew who we have playing at quarterback, and he can make good down-the-field plays,’’ Robinson said. “You just [saw] him tonight, slinging the ball around with no effort, making completions.’’
Unless they make a change at the top of their playing rotation, the Chiefs will start Tyreek Hill and Chris Conley at wide receiver. Albert Wilson and De’Anthony Thomas are the leading backups.
Beyond that, there’s been a call for help. Robinson responded to that call against the Titans, late in the preseason but in no uncertain terms.