The Kansas City Chiefs roster one of the most electrifying players in the NFL in star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Behind him, however, there is not much that instills confidence. Veteran Blaine Gabbert headlines an otherwise unproven group. Only former undrafted free agent Shane Buschele was on the roster last season.
Mahomes has made all 17 starts in each of the last two seasons. But planning for the worst is always prudent. No player can match what Mahomes brings to the field.
There might be one, however, who can come close to matching his measurables with an unquantifiable ability to create off-script, keeping plays alive when they almost certainly seem snuffed out. That player has the draft pedigree to back up the flashes he’s shown. He also has a familiarity with what head coach Andy Reid wants to do: free agent Carson Wentz.
Carson Wentz was an injury away from being the league MVP in 2017 at just 25 years old … crazy how now at 31 he’s not even a backup somewhere
He was phenomenal for Philly back then pic.twitter.com/bMbHXm3bXU
— freak (@ChaChaNindyana) August 18, 2023
Carson Wentz Could Get Fresh Start With Chiefs
Chiefs Could Use Former Eagles Star Carson Wentz
Wentz, 29, has gone from future star of the Philadelphia Eagles as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 draft to an afterthought following a pair of forgettable seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and Washington Commanders. Washington voided the final two years of Wentz’s five-year, $128 million contract.
He was decidedly better in Indy than in Washington, passing for 3,563 yards and 27 touchdowns to seven interceptions while starting all 17 games in 2021. The Colts went 9-8 that season but missed the postseason as he struggled in the finale.
But he is a free agent and is staying in shape this offseason.
“He’s been working out in L.A. in preparation for the season, he’s received interest from teams and he might wait longer into the offseason to see what develops,” tweeted ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler on May 14. “But he’s open to starter or backup roles.”
The Chiefs would have to create some cap space to get Wentz in there. But the payoff could be as immeasurable as ignoring it could potentially be catastrophic.
Patrick Mahomes Goes Viral…Again
Mahomes started the Chiefs’ Week 2 preseason contest against the Arizona Cardinals, completing 10-of-15 passes for 105 yards and one touchdown on a play that saw him bootleg to his right and find wide receiver Justin Watson running across the end zone. But the most exciting part was an otherwise innocuous throw from the two-time MVP.
Scrambling, again to his right, Mahomes tried to unload a pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling before going out of bounds.
The throw was just off the mark but highlight-worthy nonetheless.
Hell of an effort by Mahomes 👀 pic.twitter.com/aWtYnxMP48
— EDDIE HIGH (@EddieHigh) August 20, 2023
Mahomes’ ability as a runner is well-documented, and he’s been between 60 and 66 runs in four of the last five seasons. But his ability to extend a play and then throw from any – and, in this case, no – platform is even more essential and uncanny.
The former No. 10 overall pick in 2017, Mahomes has missed just three starts since becoming the starter in 2018, and one of those games was in Week 17 when he was resting in 2020.
Kansas City is 1-2 in those games.
That small sample size may not be indicative of what would happen were Mahomes forced to miss a significant amount of time. But the Chiefs don’t have to wait to find out if they have prepared well enough if he did. They can sign Wentz on the cheap and land a quality backup while he gets a chance to work under one of the game’s true quarterback gurus in Reid.
Main Photo: Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
