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The cost of a franchise quarterback in today’s NFL

By Sayre Bedinger

Apr 28, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans general manager Rick Smith (left) and Texans first round draft pick Deshaun Watson (middle left) and vice chairman D. Cal McNair (middle right) and head coach Bill O'Brien (right) pose for a picture during a press conference at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans general manager Rick Smith (left) and Texans first round draft pick Deshaun Watson (middle left) and vice chairman D. Cal McNair (middle right) and head coach Bill O'Brien (right) pose for a picture during a press conference at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 28, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs number 10 pick Patrick Mahomes II (left) and CEO Clark Hunt pose for a photo during the press conference at Stram Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs number 10 pick Patrick Mahomes II (left) and CEO Clark Hunt pose for a photo during the press conference at Stram Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /

Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs were looking a year ahead with this selection, and for good reason, but did they surrender too much in a trade?

I think so.

The Chiefs made this move because in the 2018 offseason, they are going to have to decide if they want to handcuff their cap situation by paying Alex Smith $20.6 million or cut him loose and have just $3.6 million in dead cap money. It’s actually a great situation for the Chiefs, who now can give Smith one more year to prove he can be ‘the guy’ and not just ‘a guy’.

The move to go up and get Mahomes is fascinating to me, mainly because the Chiefs felt it necessary to give up a 1st round pick in 2018 as well as a third in 2017 to swap picks with the Bills and get the guy they wanted.

Mahomes was my top quarterback in this year’s draft, but my 30th player overall. He has a ton of raw ability but is just that — raw. He’s going to need a lot of refinement and I think he will get great teaching from Andy Reid and his staff.

If Mahomes is the starter by 2018, no one is probably going to care about giving up a 2018 first rounder but that price is still very high.

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