The Kansas City Chiefs came in at No. 18 on Sports on Earth’s overall quarterback rankings for the 2017 season.
The latest quarterback rankings are out from Sports on Earth, a list that takes an entire depth chart into consideration. The Kansas City Chiefs come in where you might expect if only Alex Smith was involved, at No. 18 overall, but given that Patrick Mahomes is also included, it’s a bit more interesting that Kenneth Arthur fails to think it merits much consideration at this point.
These are the 2017 rankings, so it makes sense to sort of avoid Mahomes’ presence if you believe the Chiefs plan of sitting the rookie out of Texas Tech for an entire year will play out just that way. Smith is a solid NFL quarterback who is certainly better than several options, but the fact that he’s listed at No. 18 can’t surprise anyone at this point. Smith is known as a game manager and he’s never going to make any top quarterback lists despite an incredible record since his tenure in Kansas City began. Arthur writes:
"It’s hard to imagine Smith ever winning a Super Bowl without having some historical players on defense. He’s at the point now where he’s not going to hurt his team a whole lot, but he’s not helping as much as a QB should help; Smith had just 20 touchdowns in 15 games, including rushing scores. Andy Reid must also keep the passing game very close to Smith’s vest, with the majority of his passing yards coming after the catch. That’s a problem that Mahomes could possibly solve in a year or so, but it will probably take some time for him to transition from Texas Tech’s playbook to an NFL scheme."
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Taking everything into consideration, the Chiefs are likely looking at a better situation than this, even for just this season. Many teams would love to have a long-term solution already in house, yet the Chiefs have already done the homework, paid the price, and began the preparation to continue their success for the long-term at the game’s most important position. Patrick Mahomes has a live arm, was coveted by several teams and has played the part perfectly by saying and doing all the right things in his first offseason.
At the same time, the Chiefs will also merit strong play from a veteran quarterback who is feeling real competition for the first time in years. Smith hasn’t ever really had to worry about his job coming into training camp since he first arrived in Kansas City. Even after the Chiefs had drafted potential young quarterbacks like Aaron Murray or Kevin Hogan, there was still no real worry that his spot was in jeopardy—even for the following year. Now there’s a very real timetable and it’s something that could be accelerated if his play fails to yield the necessary fruit.
At this point, having a quarterback who is trying to raise his stock for his next team to consider in Smith and an upcoming phenom in Mahomes is better than most NFL teams have already in hand.