The Kansas City Chiefs are obviously pretty set at the quarterback position — but you never know when adversity may hit in the National Football League.
A wise man once said that a roster’s greatest strength can quickly become its greatest weakness, and you can never have enough depth in a sport like this. That brings us to the idea of the Chiefs taking a flyer on a once-coveted developmental talent that has fallen on hard times.
NFL TV host and broadcaster Paul Burmeister (of 33rd Team) suggested KC as a potential “rehabilitation” spot for New York Jets 2021 first-rounder Zach Wilson, let’s say Gang Green decides to make a move for a veteran quarterback over the offseason — and his rationale is intriguing.
Can Andy Reid & Chiefs Fix Jets QB Zach Wilson?
If the Jets go all-in on a veteran, they could be looking to get Wilson’s expensive cap hit off the books in 2023 and 2024. In going that route, dumping him on a willing party for a late-round pick could be beneficial and the Chiefs have been known to bite on upside potential like the recent No. 2 overall selection in years past.
Burmeister had the same thought, voicing: “There’s no long-term future here, as Patrick Mahomes’ MVP-caliber play has no end in sight. But this would be an ideal place for Wilson to learn and get well, as he’d be getting coached by the best in the business, and practicing alongside the league’s gold standard.”
“Here are the dots I’m connecting to this unlikely but tempting scenario,” he continued. “Andy Reid is attracted to high-end talent, no matter their past, at any position, and loves a quarterback project. Current backup Chad Henne is in his 15th season. If the Chiefs brought Wilson in to compete, maybe they like him enough to keep him as a No. 3 before they move on from Henne.”
KC could also replace Henne with Wilson, assuming Shane Buechele is ready to take on the backup role in 2023.
“There’s not a great chance for Wilson to start – or play – in the near future, but there are places he could land and come out on the other side as a much better quarterback,” Burmeister concluded, “and much more prepared to go win a starting job elsewhere.”
Price Tag & Reasons to Trade for Zach Wilson
As Burmeister made clear, you’re not trading for Wilson to replace Mahomes — not in the present or the future. If Reid and quarterbacks coach Matt Nagy were to fix the BYU product, however, you could either flip him or hold him as a premier backup.
But at what cost?
Obviously, the Chiefs aren’t giving up major draft capital for Wilson, so they’d only make a move for him if the Jets were trying to sell him off on the cheap. New York would only do that if it made sense financially.
According to Over the Cap, a post-June 1 deal would lower the Jets dead cap hit to $5.731 million over the next two seasons. That’s manageable if Kansas City or someone else is footing the remainder of the bill ($3.855M in 2023 and $5.453M in 2024).
Toss in a mid-to-late pick for their troubles and you might have yourself an agreement. It all depends how motivated the Jets are to rid themself of the first-round disappointment.
You may still be asking yourself, why would the Chiefs do this with Mahomes on the roster? They might not, but keep in mind that Wilson received his fair share of “PM15” comps out of college for all of the off-platform throws and his unique ability to improvise. Sound familiar? Simply put, he’s a rare arm talent that needs fine-tuning, and it’s no secret that Reid’s staff has experience molding dynamic dual-threat signal-callers.
Imagine having a second Mahomes-type arm on this roster? It’d be an embarrassment of riches, we know, but if Reid and Nagy think they can unlock the young gunslinger — why not?
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Chiefs Could Make Run at Former No. 2 Pick $35 Million QB, Says Analyst