Sportsnaut
For the first time since they selected Patrick Mahomes with the 10th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs won’t reach the playoffs. For the first time since Mahomes became a starter, they won’t be playing in the AFC Championship either.
Of course, the Chiefs being eliminated from playoff contention is tough enough, but injury was added to insult with Mahomes suffering a torn ACL in Sunday’s loss. The injury doesn’t just end Mahomes’ season; since it occurred in mid-December, it’s possible he won’t play at all next season either.
Thus, the Chiefs need to find a new starting quarterback for 2026, and we have more than a few ideas.
No, Gardner Minshew is far from the first person anyone should have in mind to replace Patrick Mahomes. Yet, he does have the benefit of already knowing the offense, and he’ll get a chance to build chemistry with the Chiefs’ receivers over the next three weeks. That could give him a leg up on the competition heading into 2026, but that doesn’t mean the Chiefs won’t bring in better candidates to start.
What an odd choice. Yet, if Matt Nagy is still the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator in 2026, the idea of bringing Trubisky to Kansas City isn’t that weird. After all, Trubisky’s lone Pro Bowl season came with Nagy as his head coach. The two have since grown and learned a lot from their experiences in Chicago, and there’s a better foundation now in Kansas City than they shared then in the Windy City. Trubisky starting some games for the Chiefs isn’t as crazy as it sounds, but again, they can probably do better.
Our guess is the Chiefs want someone with a bit more mobility. Yet, a one-year partnership between the former Super Bowl winner and the Chiefs could work wonders for all parties involved. Flacco would get a chance at returning to the playoffs if he performs well, and Kansas City could ensure that they’ll have a more than competent passing offense with Flacco in the shotgun.
The current interceptions leader has had a terrible season in Vegas. There’s no guarantee he returns for another season, yet Smith is under contract in 2026. However, if the Raiders release the 35-year-old, it’s possible Kansas City feels like it can get the two-time Pro Bowler back on track. It’s worth a gamble for the right price.
He’s started just one game in the past two seasons, but there was a time when Garoppolo led his team to the Conference Championship twice in a three-year span. Kansas City could see value in Garoppolo’s ability to move the chains with accuracy without making turnover-worthy plays. But again, we feel like the Chiefs could do better than someone who hasn’t played much football as of late.
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