Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid will need to replace quarterback Patrick Mahomes who suffered a torn ACL.
Coach Reid would be wise to tap his BYU pipeline and turn the keys of the Chiefs offense over to Cougar legend Zach Wilson. A one-year deal for next season could benefit both parties. In Wilson, the Chiefs would get an experienced quarterback with plenty of untapped potential. In Kansas City, Wilson would land in the perfect situation to resurrect his NFL career.
Why Zach Wilson makes sense for the Chiefs
There are 32 teams in the NFL, and at any given time there may be 20 quality starting quarterbacks walking the planet. Take, for instance, the Indianapolis Colts who last week out of desperation signed then started 44-year-old Philip Rivers who last took an NFL snap in 2020.
Quarterbacks capable enough to pilot offenses that at least don't lose games for their teams are hard to find. That's especially true for franchises in the situation the Chiefs are in where they only need a one-year stopgap signal caller.
The only backup quarterback currently on the Chiefs roster is veteran Gardner Minshew who is playing on a one-year, $1.2 million contract that expires after this season. The Chiefs don't have a young successor being groomed behind Mahomes who could use next year as a development season.
Now, Gardner Minshew could be that one-year fill-in for Mahomes next year. He'll likely have the chance to start a couple of games this year as Kansas City plays out the string. He's a capable quarterback with nearly 12,000 career passing yards with 68 touchdowns and 35 interceptions. He could be the answer next year.
But competition in the quarterback room is healthy, and Zach Wilson could win a head-to-head battle with Minshew.
In Wilson the Chiefs would get an experienced quarterback with talent and upside. After being the No. 2 overall pick in 2021 he began his career with the dysfunctional New York Jets, a franchise knows for destroying quarterbacks' careers. He started 33 games for the Jets between 2021 and 2023 and was only 24 when his days in New York mercifully came to an end.
After spending 2024 with the Denver Broncos and this season with the Miami Dolphins, Wilson's upside still hasn't been fully tapped. If any coach could get the most out of Wilson, it's Andy Reid.
What Zach Wilson would get out of the Kansas City Chiefs
First, Zach Wilson would get the chance to compete for a starting gig in Kansas City. There are very few quarterback vacancies every year, and Zach Wilson clearly wants one to show to the rest of the league that he's still a starting caliber NFL quarterback. The opening in Kansas City is probably the most appealing starting gig Wilson could find next year.
Second, Wilson would have the freedom to run an offense under the brilliance of Andy Reid, one of the best offensive minds in NFL history. After beginning his NFL career in the torture chamber for quarterbacks that is the Jets, playing under Andy Reid would be the football version of heaven for Zach Wilson. Throw in the common bond of their shared BYU backgrounds, and Reid could help Wilson find his NFL ceiling like no other coach in the league.
Lastly, if Wilson could keep the Chiefs competitive next year, he would have the full-throated support of passionate Kansas City fans. That would be a new experience for Wilson after the toxicity he experienced from Jets fans, and something he could relish.
With all of the lows of Zach Wilson's career, there have been a number of highs despite having played for a terrible Jets franchise. In 2022 he recaptured the starting starting job and immediately led the lowly Jets to four straight wins and five wins in six games. In retrospect, that's borderline miraculous.
In 2023 he piloted the Jets to a 4-3 start to the season and during that stretch was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week. The Jets roster, coaching staff, and front office were a complete dumpster fire during Wilson's tenure in New York and yet he still somehow put together some winning streaks.
Zach Wilson could be the perfect one-year solution for the Kansas City Chiefs next year. The Kansas City Chiefs could also be the perfect one-year situation for Zach Wilson to resurrect his NFL career. Let's go, Andy Reid. Make this happen!