1. Gardner Minshew
The most likely candidate to fill in for Patrick Mahomes is the one who’s already here. The Chiefs signed Gardner Minshew for this exact situation, and now we’ll see if he’s up to the challenge. While he threw the game-losing interception last week, his overall body of work proves he has what it takes to be a fringe starter in this league. In 2023, he made the Pro Bowl while going 7-6 with the Indianapolis Colts and almost guiding the team to the playoffs.
The Chiefs will use the remainder of the 2025 season to see what Minshew can do in this offense. If he plays well, they’ll re-sign him in the offseason and plan on having him start Week 1. If he comes up short, Kansas City will let him walk and sign a different free agent.
