Patrick Mahomes had no good reason at all to play for the Kansas CIty Chiefs in Week 18 and now reports are coming out to confirm such predictions with word that the team will officially sit their star quarterback out of the final week of the regular season.
On Sunday, Peter Schrager broke the news on FOX Sports that the Chiefs would not only go with Carson Wentz under center in Week 18 but that the team might be experimenting with a QB3. Chris Oladokun, who has served as the scout team's quarterback and lingered on the practice squad, could see an elevation to the active roster in Week 18 as well.
Carson Wentz is expected to start for the Chiefs next week. How will that potentially impact the teams making a final playoff push? @PSchrags explains: pic.twitter.com/st01IXVyOa
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 29, 2024
The move to Wentz is no surprise given the current status of both Mahomes and the Chiefs. On the player's part, Mahomes has been dealing with the ramifications of a mild high-ankle sprain suffered three games ago against the Cleveland Browns. While he held up well enough to win against the Houston Texans and the Pittsburgh Steelers, it would certainly do him some good to rest up for a couple of weeks.
For the Chiefs, they're also in the pole position for the AFC's top seed with a current lead that cannot be overtaken by any other contender. That means home-field advantage and a first-round bye both belong to K.C., giving them extra time to rest key players.
Wentz was signed last offseason to provide the Chiefs with the most talent behind Mahomes since the team drafted him in 2017. Wentz is a former starter for the Philadelphia Eagles, Indianapolis Colts, and other teams who will likely find another team or two to designate him as a starting option before calling it a career. However, the Chiefs were able to convince him to back up Mahomes while chasing a ring and the year in K.C. should only enhance his reputation when he re-enters the market in March.
Bringing up Oladokun makes sense for Week 18 for the sole purpose of providing depth in case of injury. In that way, the Chiefs would not have to compromise Mahomes' rest. Otherwise, Oladokun is a known quantity and the Chiefs likely aren't viewing this with any real curiosity about how he'd look under center as a backup option for next year.