The Kansas City Chiefs have shared optimism that Patrick Mahomes will be fully recovered from a season-ending knee injury and ready to take the field for the season opener.
Other insiders around the league aren’t so sure that will happen.
While both Mahomes and some top Chiefs coaches have given glowing updates on his rehab from the injury, there is no clear timeline yet for his return and a league executive told The Athletic’s Mike Sando that the team may be working on its contingency plan for the first few weeks of the season.
Patrick Mahomes Could Miss Several Weeks
In an article published on April 2, Sando cited a league executive who said the Chiefs are likely prepared for backup Justin Fields to start the season. The executive added that the team could use the early weeks of the season to get new running back Kenneth Walker III involved in both the running and passing games.
“I think it points to, ‘OK, let’s survive the early part of the season,’ ” the executive said of the team’s decision to trade for Fields. “I bet they just run the tread off Justin. It will be a lot of RPO. And they maybe get Walker involved in the passing game so that he can continue to be a two-phase player when Mahomes comes back.”
Other league insiders believe the Chiefs have adjusted their offense to give Mahomes more long-term preservation, adding a strong rushing component that will help alleviate the pressure he faces.
“If Mahomes keeps on going up against five- and six-man boxes, he can only do so much,” another exec said. “They need that run threat.”
Chiefs Still Optimistic About Patrick Mahomes
The Chiefs still believe that Mahomes will be back in time to start the season. The quarterback shared a video that showed him throwing for the first time since undergoing surgery in December for his torn ACL and LCL, while head coach Andy Reid said he was ahead of schedule in his rehab.
“Every player is different. I will tell you though, I would never bet against him,” Reid said at the league’s annual meetings this week, via ESPN. “He’s going to put in the time and effort and always push it but within reason, so he doesn’t take steps back.
“So far, it’s all been positive. He’s doing great.”
Chiefs owner Clark Hunt had a more wary view, saying he wasn’t so sure Mahomes would be ready.
“I don’t think that’s on the table anymore for us to be in Seattle [for the opener],” Hunt told Front Office Sports. “From a league standpoint, I think there would be some concern whether our quarterback will be ready to go. My guess is the league won’t want to take that risk.”
The Chiefs do face some other questions on offense, including whether they will need another addition at wide receiver as Rashee Rice faces a potential suspension after being accused of domestic violence. While the team is getting tight end Travis Kelce back after he decided against retirement, some insiders believe they will still need to make at least one more addition to help Mahomes and the passing game.
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes Faces Dire Prediction from NFL Insider