What does Carson Wentz’ new contract mean for Patrick Mahomes?

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz signed a massive contract with his team. What does it mean for Patrick Mahomes?

Quarterback Carson Wentz, who has battled injuries over the past two seasons, signed a massive extension with the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday.

Wentz earned a deal similar to what Russell Wilson received with the Seattle Seahawks, with both contracts being around $107 million guaranteed. Most analysts and players concur in that what matters is guaranteed money. More importantly, though, what do these new contracts mean for the league’s reigning MVP, Patrick Mahomes?

Earlier this year, it was reported that Mahomes could receive a $200m contract extension in 2020. The move would likely make him the highest paid player in the National Football League, barring any future contracts that come up between now and then. Mahomes’ current contract will be up in 2022, but an extension could be anywhere from 5 years to even 10 years. With Wentz signing a massive deal of $128m with a max of $144m, does that affect Mahomes’ contract negotiations? The short answer is yes.

The next quarterbacks in line to receive massive deals are Los Angeles Rams’ Jared Goff and Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott. Players and their agents are always wanting to get the next biggest contract. This usually goes by annual salary, however, guaranteed money is what matters most. With Goff and Prescott likely following suit and signing large contracts in the future, $200m may seem like a small number for Mahomes in a couple years.

The 2019 season will play a major role in the future of Mahomes’ contract negotiations. With consistent talks of regression among analysts, the MVP will need to continue his dominance, building off of his stellar 2018 campaign. Spotrac has Mahomes’ current market value at just over $172m, with an annual salary of $35.2m. Even those numbers, which would be massive for current quarterbacks, seem rather small for Mahomes.

Possible numbers for Mahomes could be $210m over 6 years, which would put the annual salary right at $35m. The Chiefs will inevitably lock down their franchise quarterback, regardless of the price tag that comes with him. Wentz’s and Wilson’s contract is another piece of the puzzle in Mahomes’ contract negotiations that adds to his already tremendous value. While specifics of the future deal is unknown, one thing we know for sure is the contract will be laden with guaranteed money in excess of $100m. Barring serious injuries, Mahomes will be a Chief for a long time, and hopefully for his entire career. (Mahomes and his agent wants the league’s MVP to remain a Chief until he retires, as well.)

Regardless of the duration of the contract, Mahomes will not be going anywhere anytime soon. The Chiefs cannot even negotiate with Mahomes yet, and they have no reason to, as he still has multiple years left on his current contract. Mahomes’ performance will not even come down to just statistics. What matters most is how far he can take the team. There is no doubt about it: if Mahomes can deliver a Super Bowl title to the Chiefs before signing his contract, the numbers will surely jump that much higher. Wentz, Wilson, even Goff and Prescott’s contracts and future contracts will push Mahomes’ potential contract even higher than what it is projected to be now.