If Patrick Mahomes has yet to fully recover from the ACL tear that befell the team, he's an intriguing option to be the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs in their early season.
Last season was a disaster for the Chiefs. For the first time since Andy Reid became head coach a decade earlier, the team finished a season with a record below .500. However, the end of the campaign also added salt to the wound.
During a December game against the Los Angeles Chargers, the face of the Chiefs franchise – Patrick Mahomes – tore his ACL and LCL. While Mahomes is a great athlete and has had ample time to prepare in Week 1, the organization should not rush to get their most important player back on the field until he is 1,000% ready.
That's why the Chiefs will probably look to bring in an experienced QB who can start some games early next season. However, it doesn't make sense for them to get involved in the market for players like Kirk Cousins, Jimmy Garoppolo or Aaron Rodgers. They need a true backup who can win some games.
The Kansas City Chiefs should target Cooper Rush
Well, a stronger alternative has just become available. On Thursday morning, the Baltimore Ravens announced that they have released eight-year veteran Cooper Rush. The 32-year-old is a traditional backup QB, having a solid 9-7 record as a starter during stints with the Dallas Cowboys and Ravens.
When he works with good talent, Rush has shown he can make an impact under center and has some big wins as well as 300-plus yard games on his resume. If he were to start for the Chiefs early in the season, he could manage the offense and help the team get some wins. But when Mahomes returns, Kansas City will have one of the better backup signal-callers in the game.
