The Chiefs traded up in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft to take quarterback Pat Mahomes. In general, teams in today's NFL don't take franchise quarterbacks with explicit plans to sit them on the bench for a year or two before turning them loose.

We've seen the Chargers and Packers wait patiently on Philip Rivers and Aaron Rodgers but they were drafted in 2004 and 2005. In 2015, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota earned starting jobs out of training camp, and last year, Carson Wentz was under center in Week 1 and Jared Goff graduated to the top of the depth chart in Week 11.

And while 2017 first-rounders Mitchell Trubisky and Deshaun Watson could earn starting nods in the coming weeks, Chiefs coach Andy Reid wants to make it clear that Mahomes is a backup behind Alex Smith.

"That's not where we're at — it's Alex's job, that's how we're doing it," Reid said, via the Kansas City Star's Terez Paylor.

There is a caveat, however.

"The next question is, what if Alex gets hurt?" Reid continued. "I'd never say that you can't do something [regarding starting Mahomes]," but "I would tell you in this case, it's Alex's job. There's no gray area with that."

To his credit, Mahomes has looked the part in two preseason games. He tossed a touchdown in Week 1:

And he showed off his athleticism in Week 2:

So, yes, Smith remains the starter but for how long remains the question. Reid has a lengthy track record when it comes to unearthing NFL-caliber passers, which is something Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt spoke about shortly after Mahomes was drafted.

"I think Andy has a tremendous history of developing young quarterbacks," Hunt said at the time. "He really felt Patrick's skill set and his personality and his mental approach to the game were some things that he could work with and really turn him into a great quarterback. Having Andy and John [Dorsey] at the helm made this a much easier decision for me to agree with because I respect their opinion so much."

It's worth noting that that the Chiefs fired general manager John Dorsey in June, though not for his ability to evaluate talent but reportedly due to his communication and management style. Also worth noting: Smith, who will make $10.8 million in base salary in 2017, is under contract through the 2018 season, when he's set to earn $14.5 million.