Should the Carolina Panthers regret passing on Patrick Mahomes?

The Kansas City Chiefs agreed to terms on a historic deal with Patrick Mahomes, but should the Carolina Panthers regret not drafting the quarterback?

Patrick Mahomes has reportedly agreed to the richest sports contract in North American sports history. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and Super Bowl winner is now an exceptionally wealthy man. And this could be met with some regret by the Carolina Panthers.

They had the opportunity to take Mahomes when the organization was picking No. 8 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. The Carolina Panthers opted to take running back Christian McCaffrey, which hasn’t worked out too badly at all.

That being said, there is something different about the prospect of a franchise signal-caller. The Panthers were heavily invested in No.1 option Cam Newton at this point. So they are one of the few that can look back at their to-ten pick at the time with little sense of regret.

McCaffrey is now the face of the franchise following Newton’s departure this offseason. He is the best dual-threat back in the NFL and became only the third in league history to go for 1,000-yards rushing and receiving in the same season.

Mahomes was not on the board for much longer, with the Chiefs taking him two spots later at No. 10. This proved to be a game-changer for the organization and has now seen the player get a 10-year deal that is worth a minimum of $427.6 million, according to ESPN’s NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

This is an astonishing figure no matter which way you look at it. It is also set to have huge ramifications for other teams across the league who are looking to tie down their quarterbacks long-term.

The likes of Deshaun Watson and Dak Prescott now have the bar set by Mahomes during negotiations. And although they won’t get anything like this sort of money. Both could be thanking the 2019 NFL MVP by the time they pen their respective contracts.

Should the Carolina Panthers regret not taking Patrick Mahomes?

As for the Panthers, they can look back at 2017 as the moment they picked a player who has revolutionized the position. There is nothing bad to say about McCaffrey, which speaks volumes about the player’s production and overall leadership on and off the field.

It’s hard to envisage just what sort of record the Panthers would have had over the last two seasons had it not been for McCaffrey. He accumulated more than 400 touches in 2019. And the player has stayed remarkably healthy during his three years as a professional so far.

Carolina can be one of the few that won’t look back with any sense of regret. The Chicago Bears passed on both Watson and Mahomes in favor of Mitchell Trubisky, who faces a bleak future with the franchise if he fails to deliver in 2020.

One could argue that the Cleveland Browns with Myles Garrett would not do their pick all over again if given the chance. And they might be the only ones besides the Panthers. There is a case to be made for the New York Jets and Jamal Adams. But the player has outlined his desire to be traded in no uncertain terms.

There is little doubt that McCaffrey was the right call despite Mahomes’ astonishing rise to prominence. They are both masters of their craft. And the NFL’s future is in very good hands.