Kansas City Chiefs: 3 Bold Predictions for Patrick Mahomes in 2018

In the 2017 NFL draft, the Kansas City Chiefs traded up into the top 10 of the first round in order to select what they thought would be the future of the franchise at quarterback. The Chiefs drafted gunslinger Patrick Mahomes out of Texas Tech University with the 10th overall pick. The Chiefs swapped their first round pick (27th) and a third round pick, along with their first round pick in 2018 to the Buffalo Bills in order to get Mahomes.

The Chiefs already had proven winner and veteran Alex Smith under center, giving Mahomes someone to watch and learn from. Some called for Mahomes to start right away because Smith wasn’t a flashy quarterback. Smith doesn’t have the arm strength like Mahomes does, but what he does have is something all quarterbacks wish they did. He’s not going to make big throws, but he is going to keep his mistakes down to a minimum. Smith is one of the most efficient quarterbacks in today’s game. His arm won’t win you many games, but his decision making will.

After locking up a spot in the playoffs, Mahomes got his first opportunity to play in the Week 17 game against the rival Denver Broncos. The Chiefs won, and Mahomes did enough. The rookie threw for 284 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. He was 22 for 35 in the air and had a total quarterback rating of 76.4. Not the introduction you would necessarily hope for, but a win is a win and the 22-year-old is off to a good start.

Just two weeks after their disappointing playoff loss to the Tennessee Titans, the Chiefs elected to move on from Smith after four straight winning seasons and three consecutive trips to the playoffs. Smith, 34, was traded to the Washington Redskins for cornerback Kendall Fuller and a third round pick in the 2018 draft.

Insert Mahomes. 2018 is a questionable year for the Chiefs, a team that you can circle almost every year as a sure bet to make the playoffs. The defense has lost a few familiar faces and with a new quarterback comes uncertainty. Mahomes has the stuff to make it in this league, and here are three bold predictions for his first full year under center.

Next Page: No. 3

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