Chapter 948: 947 A Risky Move

In 2012, during the NFL Draft, the Washington Redskins made a massive trade with the St. Louis Rams, giving up their first-round picks for the next three years and a second-round pick that year to acquire the second overall top pick and gamble everything on selecting Robert Griffin III, using the future of the team to secure this cornerstone quarterback.

This move remains one of the best cautionary tales in NFL Draft history.

On one hand, Griffin III suffered injuries. Despite showcasing exceptional performance in his first two seasons, making it seem like Washington had found its dynasty cornerstone, Griffin III quickly burned out like a meteor, leaving the Redskins wounded and diminished.

On the other hand, the Redskins bet their team’s future for three years. Whether Griffin III was worth it or not, it was a risky gamble. Even if Griffin III had stayed injury-free, forfeiting three years of first-round picks proved to be a critical weakness.

Every experience is also a lesson–

Don’t sacrifice your team’s future lightly. In the world of football, although quarterbacks are incredibly important, it is a team sport, and building a complete team cannot be narrowly focused on just one position.

For this reason, even though NFL teams have increasingly prioritized young talent, including identifying potential stars among rookie and sophomore players, the league as a whole still shuns risk. Teams often need more time to observe before deciding whether to make their move.

Thus, over the years, rookie players are typically considered for contract negotiations only after their four-year rookie contracts end. Only an exceptionally small number of third-year players garner enough attention to be offered early renewal, becoming genuine cornerstones for their teams.

As for second-year players?

That’s almost unheard of.

However, there are exceptions to every rule. General managers shouldn’t always follow conventions but rather evaluate situations on a case-by-case basis.

Take the 2017 NFL Draft, for instance, when the Kansas City Chiefs made one of the most successful and exciting draft moves in history.

Now, Veach is making moves again–

Extending Mahomes’ contract.

In the eyes of outsiders, Mahomes is merely a second-year player with only one full season. Objectively speaking, Mahomes is still developing. His high interception numbers suggest his decision-making in critical moments needs refinement.

Of course, Mahomes’ exceptional talent is undeniable. This year, finishing second only to Li Wei in the MVP voting and leading the team to a second consecutive championship as the starting quarterback in his debut season is testament enough to Mahomes’ value.

Extension?

Absolutely.

But an ordinary general manager might hold off just a bit, watching and waiting carefully instead of revealing their eagerness to the quarterback’s agent prematurely. Otherwise, those sharks won’t let go easily–they’d tear off a hefty piece of the team’s flesh first.

Veach, however, doesn’t believe in that.

The 2018 season has just ended, and Veach has already prioritized his offseason plans, clearly placing Mahomes’ extension at the top of the list.

So, is Veach’s decision a foolish gamble or a wise strategy?

Mahomes himself was caught completely off guard, utterly unprepared for the career turning point arriving at the end of his second year.

This was something Mahomes never imagined.

He was eager to share his joy and exchange thoughts.

After speaking with Veach on the phone, the first person Mahomes thought of was Li Wei. He sprinted over the short villa fence, ran straight to the hall of the neighboring house, and suddenly found the three team captains gathered there. Unable to react, he skidded to a halt.

After the whirlwind of excitement, joy, and happiness began to settle slightly.

Mahomes scratched his head and grinned sheepishly. “The general manager just called me, and I was startled, thinking I might’ve broken some team rules. But it turned out Mr. Veach wanted to discuss my contract renewal, asking if I’d like to sign a long-term deal with the team.”

“God, oh God, God, God.”

“I can hardly believe this has actually happened.”

Watching Mahomes bounce up and down on the sofa, Li Wei could genuinely feel that explosion of joy–a simple kind of happiness.

Li Wei’s lips curled upward as well. “Did you talk to your agent yet?”

Mahomes shook his head. “No, my first reaction was to come and tell you. Should I tell my agent? What should I do?”

Li Wei burst into laughter. “Of course. You should let him know. This is something your agent should handle with the team. We’re not professional negotiators, and the process could become messy and ugly.”

“What I mean is, the specifics of the negotiation and haggling should be left to him. But if the team is willing to sit down and have an honest discussion, you should also show sincerity and engage in dialogue. After all, this is a long-term deal–a chance for mutual benefit between both sides, more complex and important than a mere contract.”

Mahomes nodded repeatedly, agreeing enthusiastically.

“Oh, okay, I get it.”

Standing in place and thinking seriously, Mahomes still found it hard to believe this was happening.

“Rookie, do you think this is real?”

“I’ve always dreamed of this day–proving my worth on the field, winning the Super Bowl, securing a life-changing contract, and earning the opportunity to keep fighting for my dreams. Now that day is here. Is this real?”

It felt so perfect that it lacked a sense of reality.

Li Wei nodded. “Why don’t you fall over, like in *Inception*, to test whether it’s real?”

Looking at Li Wei’s serious expression, Mahomes actually jumped up and landed heavily on the sofa. The sudden action startled Li Wei, who choked on his own saliva and coughed violently.

Li Wei had only been joking–who could’ve guessed Mahomes would take it seriously?

Completely oblivious to Li Wei’s discomfort, Mahomes grinned brightly at him. “I felt weightless, but the dream didn’t vanish. So this must be real, right?”

Li Wei stared at Mahomes, torn between laughing and crying. With a helpless thumbs-up, he praised Mahomes, “Looks like your experiment was a success.”

Mahomes laughed stupidly, lost in joy and unable to extricate himself.

Only now did Mahomes catch a minor detail.

“Ah.” He gasped suddenly.

Li Wei frowned. “What’s wrong?”

Mahomes looked at him, nervously smiling, avoiding Li Wei’s gaze in embarrassment. “Rookie, I think I might’ve done something wrong.”

Li Wei: ??? “What happened? Did you say something to the general manager?”

Mahomes shook his head, only sneaking a glance at Li Wei.

After a brief moment of thought, Li Wei finally understood–Mahomes was worried about him. If the team was negotiating to extend Mahomes’ contract but hadn’t included Li Wei, how would Li Wei feel?

Li Wei laughed outright. “If you’re worried about me, don’t be. The general manager already called me as well.”