Patrick Mahomes injury: 5 potential replacements for Chiefs

If Patrick Mahomes has to miss significant time with a right knee injury, who could the Kansas City Chiefs get to fill in?

Kansas City Chiefs fans everywhere were holding their breath when Patrick Mahomes stayed down after converting a first down on a quarterback sneak Thursday night. He suffered a right knee injury, turned down being carted off and was immediately ruled out for the game.

The severity of Mahomes’ injury is unclear as of this writing. But if he has to miss time, the Chiefs will have to add a quarterback with Matt Moore the only other quarterback on the active roster. Ideally, someone who can step in and start over Moore would be acquired if Mahomes had to miss a chunk of games.

There’s obviously no replacing Mahomes, the 2018 league MVP who has been on a record passing yardage pace through six-plus games this season. But a season that started with legit Super Bowl aspirations can’t be allowed to go down the drain if Mahomes has to miss some time.

Any quarterback that’s theoretically available right now is available for a reason, and not a good one. But here are five signal callers the Chiefs could acquire to help fill a void left by Mahomes.

5. Colin Kaepernick; 4. Marcus Mariota

Any time a team loses their starting quarterback to injury, Kaepernick’s name surfaces to some degree. He apparently has been working out and wants to return to the NFL, but he has not played since the 2016 season now and that ship may have sailed. But when we last saw him Kaepernick was a mobile quarterback with a strong arm, and the idea of him working in the Chiefs’ offense with the pieces that would be around him is enticing.

After the Titans acquired Ryan Tannehill, despite the team’s consistent dismissal of a quarterback controversy, Mariota entered the season as arguably the most vulnerable starting quarterback in the league. It took less than six games, and Mariota posting an in-game passer rating less than 10 in Week 6 against the Denver Broncos, for Tannehill to step in and he’ll make at least one start.

Tennessee head coach Mike Vrabel hasn’t shut the door on Mariota starting again this season. But Chiefs general manager Brett Veach may consider making a call to the Titans if Mahomes winds up sidelined for awhile.