KC Chiefs News: A Suitable Backup Plan
By Scott Dillon
Today’s KC Chiefs news focuses on what the Chiefs will do in regards to a backup quarterback.
The Chiefs have had an adequate backup in the form of Chase Daniel over the past three seasons. This past season he was two for two in pass attempts, but was grossly overpaid for his role.
With the Chiefs looking at several key free agents departing who see more than the bench, Daniel will likely suit up elsewhere next year. He’s never had a shot at starting but has proven to be a capable quarterback and could offer teams like the Texans, Browns, or even the Broncos a fairly cheap starting quarterback option.
His departure leaves the Chiefs with some questions as to who will take the reigns should anything happen to Alex Smith. They have a couple of in-house options in Tyler Bray and Aaron Murray but both are untested.
Tyler Bray was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2013. He was widely regarded to have one of the best arms in the NFL draft, but lacked in other aspects of his game. At the time it seemed like a project pickup with a high ceiling. So far, it hasn’t rendered any big results.
Bray played in the preseason in 2013 and 2014 and tallied five touchdowns and three interceptions. He missed the 2015 season with a torn ACL and spent the 2014 season on the injured reserve. His injury history and status as a project would tend to point to his spot as the third-string quarterback.
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Aaron Murray may be the in-house favorite to land the backup position. Drafted in the fifth-round of the 2014 NFL draft, Murray left Georgia as the SEC record holder in passing touchdowns and passing yards.
Murray hasn’t seen any regular season action either, but has seen time in the preseason. In his first season, Murray completed 50% of his passes and had a passer rating of 64.6. He also threw one each in the touchdown and interception categories.
In his second preseason, Murray seemed to improve a great deal. He completed over 72% of his passes and threw three touchdowns to only one interception. His passer rating also spiked to 105.3. He beat Alex Smith in both of those categories.
See what the rest of FanSided is saying about KC Chiefs news:
Chiefs Must Know When To Say When [John McCarty: Arrowhead Addict]
KC Chiefs: Could Chase Daniel Be Headed To Philidelphia [Leigh Oleszczak: KC Kingdom]
"It wouldn’t be surprising for the Eagles to sign Daniel, as he did play for Pederson for three years in Kansas City. Pederson knows what Daniel is capable of and also knows what he wants in his quarterback. If he says Daniel is suited for a starting role, that’s a good sign for the former Mizzou Tiger."
Colin Kaepernick To The Kansas City Chiefs? [Nick Floyd: Arrowhead Addict]
Chiefs Film Room: Eric Fisher Belongs At Left Tackle [Tarek Mavani: Arrowhead Addict]
See what the rest of the internet has to say about the KC Chiefs:
Andy Reid To Miss 2016 NFL Scouting Combine After Undergoing Knee Surgery [Mike Norris: Bleacher Report]
Chiefs’ Chase Daniel Is A ‘Name To Watch’ With Eagles [Joel Thorman: Arrowhead Pride]
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While the Chiefs have option on their roster, they may look to free agency to try and find a backup. There is some speculation the Robert Griffin the Third,
, or
could find a home behind Alex Smith but that seems pretty unlikely.
The Chiefs could look to cheaper free agent backups in the likes of Matt Flynn, Case Keenum, or former Chief Matt Cassel. All would bring experience to the backup role and wouldn’t cost as much as Chase Daniel. They also may not be as risky as Tyler Bray or Aaron Murray.
There are several quarterbacks coming available during the draft also. Players like Jake Coker, Kevin Hogan, and Brandon Doughty should all be available in the late rounds. They offer low-risk, low-cost alternatives to the Chiefs’ other options.
So what do you think KC Chiefs’ fans? What will the Chiefs do to take care of their need for a second-string quarterback? Will they find a way to bring back Chase Daniel? Let me know in the comments’ section below.