Three years ago, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes signed a long-term contract. At the time, the amount and the structure made it clear that the deal would quickly become obsolete.
During draft weekend, Chiefs owner Clark Hunt addressed the Mahomes contract.
Asked about a possible new deal for Mahomes, Hunt said (via the Kansas City Star) that “coming up with a dollar value for what Mahomes means to KC would be a challenging endeavor.”
Added Hunt: “I don’t know that there’s really a way to quantify it financially. And, no matter what he makes over his career, I’m sure one way or another, he’ll be underpaid.”
That’s true. He always will be underpaid. But he’s currently grossly underpaid, in comparison to other quarterbacks who aren’t him.
Look at the three-year cash-flow numbers we posted last week. Mahomes was tenth of 10.
After the Lamar Jackson details are released, Mahomes will surely be eleventh of 11.
The most fair solution for Mahomes and the team would be for Mahomes to get a guaranteed percentage of the cap, every year of his deal. That would protect him against market changes sparked by the never-ending increases in the salary cap. And it would give the team certainty as to the cents-per-dollar available to put a team around him.
Other players have tried to get it. No team has agreed to do it. If Mahomes would demand it, he’d get it.
