Report: Chiefs eyed Paxton Lynch, pivoted to Jones and Mahomes

The NFL Draft can change the course of a history for a franchise, and this story shared on Thursday about the Kansas City Chiefs and Paxton Lynch is wild.

Apparently, the Chiefs wanted to take Lynch in the 2016 NFL Draft. Instead, the Broncos traded in front of them and selected the Memphis QB.

He was supposed to replace Peyton Manning in Denver, but became one of the all-time worst busts in Broncos history. Lynch started in just four games and orange and blue as was quickly out of the NFL just a couple years after getting selected No. 26 overall by former GM John Elway.

After not landing Lynch, the Chiefs ended up drafting DT Chris Jones, who’s now having a Hall of Fame career. He has three Super Bowl rings and 75.5 career sacks.

And then, during the 2017 NFL Draft, Kansas City traded up to select Patrick Mahomes, a move they might not have made if Lynch was on the roster. The rest is history, as Mahomes will likely go down as the best quarterback ever.

Ari Meirov has the full details of this wild butterfly effect, something you will want to click on the full tweet to read.

NFL Draft story that shaped up the NFL today:

– The #Chiefs were picking at No. 28 in 2016 and had interest in Memphis QB Paxton Lynch; however, the #Broncos traded up to 26 and got him.

– Denver gave up picks 31 and 94 to do the trade.

– The #Chiefs would've had an extra… pic.twitter.com/wN1V7TtS2m

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) April 25, 2024

Think about how different things would be for both the Broncos and Chiefs if Lynch had landed in Kansas City? First, they probably never get Jones. And second, Mahomes might be playing somewhere else.

Denver also would’ve avoided the massive Lynch headache, and perhaps selected someone like Mahomes in 2017 or Josh Allen in 2018. The dynasty could be here in the Mile High City, while the Chiefs are stuck in the mud.

But that’s not how it played out, as K.C. got a phenomenal defensive player and all-time great QB in back-to-back drafts.

What could have been for both franchises. Sigh.

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