Patrick Mahomes ‘scary’ in new role as injury forces Andy Reid to change Chiefs offense

Retired quarterback Derek Carr thinks Patrick Mahomes’ injury may end up saving the Kansas City Chiefs dynasty.

Andy Reid is hoping his talisman can start Week 1 after requiring surgery to repair ACL and LCL tears in December.

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Mahomes is well ahead of the normal recovery timeline, and early reports out of Chiefs camp suggest the team is changing up the offense to offer him more protection.

Free agent running back addition Kenneth Walker III will be worth every cent of his $45 million contract if he can keep opposing defenses honest.

Carr has been keeping an eye on practices and likes what he’s seen so far, suggesting that Reid has been forced to change up what had become a one-dimensional offense.

“My hope for him is that they take care of him, you know, as good as he is, we all know the talent, we know the Super Bowls he and Andy have won and all those things, but you see what happens when he gets hit,” the former Las Vegas Raiders passer told Sportsradio 810 WHB.

“And that’s every quarterback that’s ever lived, it’s hard to accomplish the job when we’re scrambling or on our back.

“If you give Pat any kind of time, with the run game, with play action, every clip I’ve seen of the Chiefs so far, he’s been under center handing the ball off, and I’m like, ‘Yes.’

“I’m telling you If they start doing this, everybody better watch out because if you give him time and protection like that, he’s unbelievable.”

Mahomes’ production has trailed off in recent years after torching the NFL early in his career.

Carr thinks the three-time Super Bowl champion is a better QB than his younger self, and insists it is up to Kansas City to keep his jersey clean and let him show it.

“He’s accurate he throws from three-quarters, from over the tip, side-arm, he can no look, he can do all the things because he’s learned coverage over the years,” he added at the American Century Celebrity Golf Championship.

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“His mind is growing because he works at it. At the beginning we saw this raw talent. These crazy plays, ‘Don’t do it! Oh, good throw. Oh my gosh that was amazing.’ All those things. I think what’s scary for the NFL is he’s getting smarter.

“Now, my thing when I watch the Chiefs, and I can say this ‘cos they can be mad all they want, you gotta protect him.

“Because if you protect him, you should be in the AFC championship, Super Bowl every year.”

Raiders fans probably don’t want to see the man who holds most of the organization’s passing records talking up a bitter rival.

Thankfully, Carr also shared some advice for Fernando Mendoza when the No. 1 pick takes over from Kirk Cousins as QB1 in Vegas.

“That transition to Fernando, you know, so happy for the Raiders to get a young quarterback in there,” he explained.

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“But my goal and my hope for him is that he gets time to learn, you know, because going from that offense he was running in Indiana and going to what Klint [Kubiak] is going to ask him to do in that offense, the reads, you know, you know, seeing the defense, different things.

“Now they’re going to be able to help him with the boots and the screens and the play action. But, you know, for me, I just hope that he has time to just learn and grow in this game because third down in two minutes, a lot different in the Big Ten.

“It’s a lot different in the NFL, you know, and so there’s going to be a learning curve and I hope that there’s patience, you know, for him. But I wish him the best.”

Car ended on a positive as The Silver and Black look to restore the glory days in a new city.

“I hope he breaks all my records, man. I’m a Raider fan, so I just want to see him do well,” he added.

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