Patrick Mahomes is one of the most significant players in the NFL, even after suffering a torn ACL last season. Even with the lackluster statistical seasons recently, the former NFL MVP and Super Bowl winner is considered the most valuable player in terms of trade value. While the Kansas City Chiefs are not going to move off him, it gives an idea of where people value him compared to other players in the league. Let’s take a closer look at where Patrick Mahomes’ value is heading into the 2026 season.
Patrick Mahomes is worth 7 first-round picks right now
Oct 19, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) gets ready prior to a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell wrote an article where he put the players into tiers and discussed how many first-round picks each player is worth, if they were to be traded. This does not mean they will be traded, but it gives a sense of how valuable each player is viewed around the league. One of the most valuable players in the article is Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Barnwell gives him an incredible amount of value, tallying at seven first-round picks. Below is the rationale he gave:
“Would a torn ACL stop anyone from trading the farm to land Mahomes? I’m of the opinion that Allen is the best quarterback in football at the moment, having outplayed Mahomes over the past three seasons, but Mahomes’ postseason halo and remarkably consistent success before 2025 would undoubtedly charm teams, too. Mahomes turns 31 in November, so there would be some hesitation about committing too many future picks given his age and the knee injury. But that could still mean a decade of high-level quarterback play from arguably the best player of his generation.”
According to Barnwell, he is the only player on the Kansas City Chiefs worth multiple first-round picks. In terms of the league, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is the only other player worth seven first-round picks.
During the 2025 season, Patrick Mahomes played in 14 games and completed 315 of 502 (62.7%) of his passes for 3,587 yards with 22 passing touchdowns to 11 interceptions. He also ran the football 64 times for 422 yards (6.6 yards per carry) with five rushing touchdowns. Mahomes still could be a superstar quarterback for the next decade-plus, so it will be intriguing to see how he looks throughout the 2026 season, recovering from the significant injury.
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