It seems crazy to say that this year's edition could be the best offense Patrick Mahomes has ever played with when you consider the amount of talent he's had over the years.
While there certainly have been some dynamic offenses surrounding Mahomes, most Chiefs fans view the first 10 games of the 2018 season as the pinnacle of the Mahomes offense. It's also worth noting that as Mahomes took the NFL by storm in his first 10 games, opposing teams didn't know what to expect from him and he took advantage.
We can't predict the future but we have a decent idea of what to expect from the offense in 2024—especially when you factor in a player's full body of work. There's also the fact that if someone is a rookie, the results are impossible to predict.
In order to determine which offense was the better one, let's do a player-by-player comparison and try to get an answer.
Quarterback
2018: Patrick Mahomes
2024: Patrick Mahomes
This one should be pretty easy. Patrick Mahomes is a much better quarterback today than he was in 2018. While the stats were incredible in '18, Mahomes is reading and playing the position better now than anybody else in the league. His pocket presence has improved dramatically and so has his willingness to embrace the underneath passing game.
Advantage: 2024 Offense
Running Backs
2018: Kareem Hunt, Damien Williams, Spencer Ware
2024: Isiah Pacheco, Samaje Perine, Clyde Edwards-Helaire
This one is also fairly easy to determine. The 2017 version of Kareem Hunt was the league's leading rusher and played a big role in the passing game as well. Being backed up by Damien Williams, who was a perfect fit for the Andy Reid system, and Spencer Ware, who was very serviceable himself, puts that unit over the top. Pacheco might be the second best back on this list but the reserves just aren't good enough to push him past prime Kareem Hunt.
Advantage: 2018 Offense
Fullback
2018: Anthony Sherman
2024: Carson Steele
After the preseason, the bust for Carson Steele's Hall of Fame career might already be in process, but we can't quite induct him yet. Steele is very exciting for the future of the offense but we can't give him the nod over a Pro Bowler in Anthony Sherman.
Advantage: 2018 Offense
Tackles
2018: Eric Fisher, Mitchell Schwartz
2024: Kingsley Suamataia, Jawaan Taylor
This one is pretty easy as well. All-Pro Mitchell Schwartz was a "set it and forget it" right tackle who handled prime Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, and Von Miller for six games a year with no problem. Eric Fisher will always be an underrated player in Chiefs' history but was certainly a top-half-of-the-league left tackle. Besides the total unknown in Kingsley Suamataia, Jawaan Taylor is coming off a rough year on the right side. It's hard to see the 2024 duo eclipsing the bookends Kansas City had in 2018.
Advantage: 2018 Offense
Interior Offensive Line
2018: Cam Irving, Mitch Morse, Andrew Wylie
2024: Joe Thuney, Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith
A decided victory for the 2024 offense here with All-Pros Joe Thuney and Creed Humphrey and excellent play from Trey Smith. All three players from 2024 clear the 2018 group. Mitch Morse has gone on to have a great career and he was excellent in Kansas City, but the complexion of the Chiefs offensive line has changed. The strength used to be the tackles and now it has shifted to the interior.
Advantage: 2024 Offense
Tight Ends
2018: Travis Kelce, Demetrius Harris, Alex Ellis, Deon Yelder
2024: Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, Jared Wiley, Peyton Hendershot
How do you remember the Alex Ellis and Deon Yelder era in Kansas City? Yeah me neither. 2018 Travis Kelce had 1336 yards and 10 touchdowns, and he was at the peak of his ability. While the 2018 version of himself is better than the 34-year-old version of himself, the rest of the depth behind him is far better. Only Kelce and Demetrius Harris caught passes from Mahomes during the 2018 season. Gray is a great second tight end and Wiley has upside though a rookie. Hendershot is mainly a blocker but already has more yards and receptions than Yelder and Ellis did in their careers.
Advantage: 2024 Offense
Starting Receivers
2018: Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, Chris Conley
2024: Hollywood Brown, Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy
Sammy Watkins was always challenging to keep healthy but when he was on the field, the combination of him and Tyreek Hill was just too much, especially when you factor in prime Kelce, too. Tyreek Hill is a future Hall of Famer and the most dynamic offensive weapon in the game. We have high hopes for Xavier Worthy, but right now he's an unknown. Year 1 Rashee Rice was very encouraging, but there's room for growth as a route runner and Brown is already injured—a consistent problem in his career.
Advantage: 2018 Offense
Wide Receiver depth
2018: Demarcus Robinson, Marcus Kemp, Gehrig Dieter
2024: Justin Watson, Mecole Hardman, Skyy Moore, JuJu Smith-Schuster
It's been surprising to see how much success Demarcus Robinson has had in his career outside of Kansas City. He was probably underrated in his time in Kansas City, but Justin Watson is a great fourth option. Hardman has his ups and downs but is still dynamic and Smith-Schuster is an accomplished vet with several big seasons in his career. That's enough to tip the scale over Marcus Kemp and Gehrig Dieter who seldom factored into the offense.
Advantage: 2024 Offense
Conclusion
It's a dead split—a 4-4 tie—between the 2018 and 2024 offenses as to which group has the bigger advantage. We'll give a slight lean to the 2018 offense though because the sheer level of talent they had in their starting core. Tyreek, Sammy, Kelce, Kareem Hunt, Mitch Schwartz, Mitch Morse, and Eric Fisher is a bonkers offense to pair with an MVP quarterback.
This exercise also illustrates how the Chiefs' offense has evolved—from a star-heavy offense to one that relies on depth at running back and receiver. The offense leans on heavier personnel with the number of tight ends they use and their philosophy along the offensive line. But with a big season from Kingsley Suamataia and Xavier Worthy, the 2024 offense could be the best we've seen with Patrick Mahomes.