Seven first-round picks would be a record price for almost any player, yet it may feel low for Patrick Mahomes. ESPN writer Bill Barnwell gave the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback that value in his July 16 trade list.

Barnwell placed Mahomes beside Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen at the top of the NFL. The price looks huge, yet it can feel low for a player who has shaped an era and could give another team elite quarterback play for years.

“Mahomes turns 31 in [September], so there would be some hesitation about committing too many future picks given his age and the knee injury,” Barnwell wrote on Thursday. “But that could still mean a decade of high-level quarterback play from arguably the best player of his generation.”

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell valued Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen at seven first-round picks each, the highest price on his list. Allen brings better recent health and has not missed a start since 2018.

While Mahomes is recovering from the torn ACL and LCL he suffered against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15 of the 2025 season.

Mahomes reached that price because he offers more certainty than draft picks. He plays the NFL’s most important position, has won two league MVP awards, and earned Super Bowl MVP honors three times. A team could use seven picks over several years and never find a quarterback with that record.

Mahomes is locked with the Chiefs through 2033 thanks to a two-year extension that brings his total deal to $504.75 million, earning him almost $64 million annually starting in 2027.

His age and knee injury likely stopped the price from rising above seven picks. Even then, Barnwell placed him far ahead of every other Chiefs player, valuing Mansoor Delane, Creed Humphrey, Chris Jones, and others at only one first-round pick each.

The Chiefs QB's value goes beyond draft picks, and his latest quarterback ranking gives him another chance to prove it.

Patrick Mahomes turns a ranking drop into motivation

Patrick Mahomes now has a new goal after falling from the top spot in quarterback rankings. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler collected votes from NFL coaches, executives, and scouts, who placed Josh Allen at No. 1 after Mahomes, who was there for three straight years.

“You understand it,” Mahomes said in an interview with Yahoo Sports Daily. “Coming off injury, and we didn’t play as well as we wanted to the last few years, you’re gonna drop in the rankings of some sort. But at the same time, there’s a lot of good quarterbacks on that list, and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

Allen helped Buffalo to a 12-5 record in 2025 and got an 87.4 PFF grade, ranking sixth among 43 qualified quarterbacks.

Mahomes played 14 games before his knee injury and finished with a 6-8 record. However, the QB accepted the ranking and said he must prove he deserves the No. 1 spot again with his comeback.

What do you think? Will Mahomes be able to prove that no trade offer can match his true value with his performance this season? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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Written by

Shreya Mishra

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore