Can Andy Reid and the Chiefs fix Shea Patterson?

Shea Patterson hasn’t lived up to the hype thus far. Can the best offense in the NFL serve as a lifeline while he fights for a place in the league?

Shea Patterson was once a five-star recruit with all the potential in the world. Just four years later, he finds himself on the outside looking in when it comes to an NFL roster spot.

In 10 games with Ole Miss spread between the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Patterson yielded relatively promising results. His second season was rather impressive, as he finally seemed to be settling in until a knee injury cut his campaign short. He’d go on to transfer to Michigan after Ole Miss was dealt with disciplinary action from the NCAA. The best seemed to be ahead for the athletic quarterback as he got a fresh start with a new school.

The expectation was that under former NFL quarterback and head coach Jim Harbaugh, Patterson would tap into the potential he flashed at Ole Miss. Although the Wolverines won 19 games in two seasons with Patterson at the helm, his inconsistent play continued. After completing 64.6 percent of his passes in 2018, that number fell to just 56.2 percent last season.

Patterson’s ability to make things happen off-schedule and extend broken plays with his legs has always been his saving grace. With a below-average arm and poor mechanics, he was able to rely on his athleticism in high school. It worked at times in college but at the next level, it won’t be enough to bail him out. If any situation can get the most out of him, though, it’s the one he’s in right now.

The Kansas City Chiefs, a team with arguably the best player in the NFL, took a flier on Patterson as an undrafted free agent. He now joins a quarterback room with Patrick Mahomes, Chad Henne, and Jordan Ta’amu, the latter of whom became Ole Miss’ starter when Patterson transferred. He has his work cut out for him in regards to making the team, but his time in Kansas City should help a lot.

Andy Reid is well-respected around the league as one of the most quarterback-friendly head coaches out there. He played a major role in helping Mahomes fix the footwork and overall mechanics issues he had when he came into the league in 2017. Reid’s offenses are complex, but they’ve been proven to get the most out of the signal-callers running them.

Patterson is entering a high-pressure situation, but he has a golden opportunity. If he can beat out Ta’amu in training camp and preseason action, he’ll get to sit behind Mahomes and Henne, and learn what it takes to be a quality quarterback. Even if he can’t, his first cup of coffee at the NFL level will be beneficial to his career long-term.

Shea Patterson has a ways to go if he wants to serve as a backup quarterback at the highest level. If he can become more accurate and refine his game from the pocket, he can defy the odds and be successful. The athleticism and potential are both there. The rest is up to him, and the Chiefs may be the only team capable of fixing things.