Andy Reid has a process, and it's not changing.
And it means that superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be on the field in the Kansas City Chiefs' preseason opener.
Reid shared with reporters Thursday that Mahomes and the starters will get the first quarter on Saturday against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Chiefs will then have the second unit (QB Gardner Minshew) play the second quarter. Bailey Zappe will lead the third-stringers in the third quarter, and Chris Oladokun will be on the field in the fourth quarter with the fourth-team offense.
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It's the usual plan for Reid, so there's nothing shocking about it.
There's still risk involved, of course.
Some teams have gone away from playing their QBs at all in the preseason in recent years. Even if it's a small risk, the chance of an injury when playing against an opponent that's trying to prove itself against a star quarterback might not be worth it.
Mahomes clearly is more valuable on the field in January than he is right now.
The Chiefs and Reid obviously believe that it's all part of the process in getting to that point.
Kansas City is coming off a bummer of a Super Bowl loss to the Eagles, and they probably want to hit the ground running.
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They open the season on the second day of the regular season schedule, a Friday game against the Chargers.
In a divisional contest right out of the chute, the Chiefs have to be on their game. Having Mahomes play with the first-team offense now is the way to be most ready for that.
Kansas City fans will just cross their fingers and hold their breaths a bit anytime a defender gets near Mahomes.
The Chiefs are doing what they always do, and Mahomes will have to just stay out of trouble out there to make it a non-story.
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