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Despite the Kansas City Chiefs trading Tyreek Hill in the offseason, NFL expert Trey Wingo believes the Patrick Mahomes-led squad is still one of the top teams in the league.
Wingo, the chief trends officer and brand ambassador for Caesars Sportsbook, told Fox News Digital in a recent interview that Mahomes and the team heard all the slights in the offseason, especially after the team lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship.
There was also the matter of the Denver Broncos acquiring Russell Wilson in the offseason, making the AFC West one of the toughest in football.
"Kansas City listened to everything everybody said in the offseason. ‘Oh, the AFC West is stacked. They’re gonna have a tough time winning that division. I think I’d take Justin Herbert over Patrick Mahomes,'" Wingo said.
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Quarterback Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs during an NFL game at State Farm Stadium Sept. 11, 2022, in Glendale, Ariz. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
"'I think Josh Allen is gonna win the MVP. I think Joey Burrow is better than Patrick Mahomes.’ And he heard all of that and came out and just smoked the Arizona Cardinals, who were a playoff team last year. He threw for 360 yards, five touchdowns, no interceptions and took the fourth quarter off. I think that the Chiefs are going to be a lot better than almost everyone else is predicting."
There was no stopping Mahomes and the Chiefs' offense in Week 1’s 44-21 win over the Cardinals, as Wingo noted. Mahomes only missed on nine passes and connected with nine different receivers.
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Wingo said that, even with the loss of Hill, the Chiefs will be more difficult to defend.
"They lost Tyreek Hill, but I think they’re going to be more difficult to defend now," Wingo said. "Let me be clear, Tyreek Hill is the Steph Curry of the NFL. He can hit from anywhere. He has unlimited range. We all accept that. Before, when (teams) were defending Kansas City, you were like, ‘All right, let’s roll two safeties over the top so Tyreek doesn’t beat us over the top, so it’s quadrupedal with Travis Kelce.’
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, right, celebrates after running back Isiah Pacheco (10) scored a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals Sept. 11, 2022, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)
"Well, now you can’t do that because you have Kelce still in the middle. You have Mecole Hardman, who can lift the lid on the defense. You signed Juju Smith-Schuster, who was obviously very productive in his first game as a Chief. They drafted this kid Skyy Moore, who had one catch in that game for 30 yards, sort of as a gadget player.
"And this, I think, is the most underrated signing of the entire offseason when they got Marquez Valdes-Scantling out of Green Bay. He is fast. He’s not Tyreek Hill fast, but he’s fast and much bigger than Tyreek Hill. Since 2020, only Ja’Marr Chase has more 50-yard touchdown catches than Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the NFL. He’s a big play waiting to happen.
"They did a great job in the draft getting this kid George Karlaftis, and they also got a great corner in Trent McDuffie. And they signed Carlos Dunlap, who had a sack in his first game. You still have Chris Jones and you still have Frank Clark."
A rendering of what the Caesars Sportsbook and Casino Truck will look like. (Caesars Sportsbook & Casino)
Mahomes led the Chiefs to two of the last three Super Bowls. He threw for nearly 5,000 passing yards in 2021 and had 37 touchdown passes.
"Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback in football," Wingo told Fox News Digital. "I don’t understand why everyone is suddenly burying him, but he heard it. And I think he’s going to go scorched earth on the NFL this year."
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Wingo will be back on the road this season with Caesars Sportsbook as the company unveiled an 18-wheeler tractor-trailer it will be using to bring a unique experience to fans who pack NFL stadiums week after week.
The tour will make a stop for the Chiefs’ Week 12 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams Nov. 27.