Chiefs GM Brett Veach: Alex Smith Is 'So Far Ahead' of Patrick Mahomes

While rookie quarterback Patrick Mahomes has turned heads in the preseason, Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach made it clear he believes Alex Smith is the team's best option heading into the 2017 season.

"Coach made a statement a few days back; there's no gray area. Alex is our quarterback," Veach said of Andy Reid, per Sydney Ringdahl of the Chiefs' official website. "Alex is so far advanced from the mental side of things in regards to his ability to read coverages, to shift to better plays and really play the chess game. He's so far ahead of what Pat is."

The Chiefs made a big investment in Mahomes on the night of the 2017 NFL draft. They traded the Nos. 27 and 91 overall picks and a 2018 first-rounder to the Buffalo Bills in order to move up to the 10th pick and select the former Texas Tech Red Raiders passer.

Bleacher Report's Mike Tanier wasn't a fan of the move, giving Kansas City a C grade, questioning whether the Chiefs would've been better off focusing more on the short term rather than drafting their quarterback of the future.

Following his performances in the Chiefs' last three preseason games, however, some wonder whether Mahomes could be Kansas City's top choice right now at quarterback. He went 27-of-42 for 341 yards and three touchdowns.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller thought Mahomes' potential is clear for all to see:

Still, starting Smith makes sense for the Chiefs. The team has made the playoffs in three of the last four years, and in his four seasons in Kansas City, Smith has averaged 222.4 yards per game and completed 64.5 percent of his passes.

The 33-year-old doesn't offer a high ceiling—his career-high 3,502 passing yards in 2016 ranked 22nd, but he's a proven option who puts the Chiefs in their strongest position to return to the postseason.

Should Smith or the team struggle right out of the gate, though, the calls to start Mahomes will only grow louder.