Chiefs receiver Weston Dressler is slowly but surely catching on

Slot receiver Weston Dressler is a sensation north of the border.

After averaging 73 receptions for 1,088 yards with seven touchdowns in six seasons with the Canadian Football League’s Saskatchewan Roughriders, Dressler has fallen short of sensational during his first full week of Chiefs training camp.

Dressler, 29, dropped a few passes and struggled to gain separation on his routes, but as he’s grown more comfortable with the Chiefs’ playbook, the speed of the NFL game and the smaller field — both its length and width — his performance surged a bit, too.

He got behind the secondary for a long reception and caught a slant in traffic in quick succession Thursday during practice.

“At times, I’m feeling good out there, but I think I need to be a little more consistent,” said Dressler, who also dropped a punt during special teams drills. “I’ve made some good plays — had some good ones, had some bad ones. The more bad ones you can wipe out and make good ones, the more consistent you become. That’s what I’m working towards.”

Dressler said he’s still adjusting to the physicality of camp, but the smaller confines are the bigger problem right now.

“Trying to get the separation and understanding when that separation needs to happen — the speed with how quick you have to get open or how much time you have to work a route, not rushing a route and getting open on the quarterback’s time has been different,” Dressler said. “… It’s a very different game.”

With 13 wide receivers in camp and roughly half — probably six, but maybe seven — expected to make the final roster, Dressler knows that he has ground to make up. He’s hoping to make a great impression during the preseason games.

“They’ll be big,” Dressler said. “That’s where guys that are borderline make or don’t make the team. Obviously, in order for me to make this team, I’m going to have to do some good things throughout the preseason games.”

This story was originally published August 1, 2014 at 9:56 AM with the headline "Chiefs receiver Weston Dressler is slowly but surely catching on."