The 2017 trade for Patrick Mahomes changed the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills in big ways. Find out how this deal shaped both🦋 teams and the NFL over five years.
- The 2017 trade that brought Patrick Mahomes to the Chiefs reshaped the NFL, and Kansas City led the league to multiple championships.
- All players acquired by the Bills through the trade have since left the team, highlighting the trade’s long-term impact.
- The trade exemplifies the unpredictable nature of draft picks and the importance of strategic decision-making.
2017 Patrick Mahomes Trade: Turning Point in NFL
Sometimes, a single sports moment can change history. In 2017, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills made such a momentous 🃏decision by agreeing on a draft-day trad🦩e.
This trade allowed the Chiefs to move up to the🍌 10th s🔴pot to select Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
In return, the Bills recei💦ved the 27th overall pick, a 2017 third-r๊ound pick, and a 2018 first-round pick.
Kansas City’s Victory: The Rise of Patrick Mahomes
No one can dispute the impact of Patrick Mahom🍬es on the NFL.
Since taking over as 𒀰the starting quarterback, Mahomes has led the Chiefs to three Super Bowl♔ titles and earned two regular-season MVP awards.
His arrival transformed the Chiefs from a cursed franchise into perennial conte꧒nders, practically guaranteeing them a spot in the AFC title game each year.
Buffalo’s Outcome: Analyzing the Trade Results
💞In the NFL, the salary cap often feels like an illusion, but it is very real, as the Bills demonstrated.
The Bills made several moves to balance the🐽ir salary cap for the 🐭2024 season.
They restructured Von Miller’s contract and released center Mitch Morse, safety Jordan Poyer, and cornerback Tre’Davious White.
White, a key player obtained from the Mahomes trade, will be♚ designated a post-June 1 cut for financial reasons.
Analyzing the Trade’s Long-Term Impact on the Bills
The 2017 NFL trade gave the Bills three picks: the 2017 first-round pick, used to draft Tre’Davious White; the 2017 third-round pick, traded to acquire Zay Jones; and the 2018 first-round pick, swapped to bring Tremaine Edmunds to Buffalo.
However, all these players had movedᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ on. Jones was traded in 2019, Edmunds joined 💙the Bears as a free agent in 2023, and White is set to be released.
The only remaining connection to the trade is Tommy Doyle, drafted𓆉 with a pick obtained in the Jones trade.
However, due to injuries, he has only played 12 games, making it unlikely that he’ll become a significant player.
Winners and Losers of the Mahomes Trade
Given Mahomes’ continued success with the Chiefs, it is clear who won the trade.
The Chiefs secured a generational talent, while the Bills’ acquisitions have moved on, leaving Buffalo without long-term gains from the trade.
Securing Josh Allen: Buffalo’s Quarterback Solution
Despite this, the Bills have not languished in mediocrity. In 2018, they executed another draft-da💖y trade to move up and select Josh Allen.
While Allen hasn’t reached Mahomes’ level of success, he has become a cornerstone for the Bills, demonstrating that one good pick can still salvage a team’s future.
Understanding Draft Picks: Lessons from the Mahomes Trade
The🃏 Mahomes trade and the subsequent selection of Allen highlight the unpredictable nature of draft picks.
Draft picks can be valuable assets, but they do not always g♛uarantee success.
A seemingly favorable trade can turn sour if the selected players don’t pan out. Conversely, a single strategic pick can dramatically improve a team’s fortunes.
Ultimately, the success of a draft hinges on the skill of an organization’s front office and scouting staff. Drafting is a gamble, but informed decisions increase the odds of success. While it’s easy to say “just draft a franchise quarterback” from the sidelines, the reality is far more complex.
The Mahomes trade reminds us that drafting elite talent is a game-changer but also fraught with risk. The right pick can lead to unparalleled success, but it requires astute decision-making🌠 and a bit of luck.
