The position the Chiefs hope they never have to use, QB2, officially determined
53-man rosters have been set for the NFL season. With the Kansas City Chiefs now exactly one week away from the first game of their second title-defense season in the last several years, one position that Chiefs fans don't really care to hear much about is the backup quarterback role.
Not because it's not important, because truly, a competent backup quarterback can be all the difference for teams competitive deep in the season, but simply because they're so confident in QB1 and hope they never have to see anyone else under center all season long.
Unless, of course, it's some wild trick play where Travis Kelce is the QB for a play or two.
No, Patrick Mahomes is undoubtedly the guy, but Blaine Gabbert has officially been named his backup. Kansas City rostered Chad Henne last year who retired after he and Kansas City won the Super Bowl. In an emergency situation, Henne wound up making seven pass attempts in the postseason with Mahomes nursing a sprained ankle. He scored a touchdown and gained three first downs, proving to be exactly what the Chiefs needed in that moment.
So, can Gabbert be that if the Chiefs need it this year?
Gabbert's career hasn't gone to expectations, per se. Drafted 10th overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2011, he's become a journeyman backup with the Niners, Cardinals, and Buccaneers before landing in KC this offseason.
Backup quarterback is one of the tougher positions to get right. Do you overinvest to protect the offense if something happens to QB1? Or do you try to be efficient with your spend, hoping you never have to use the backup?
Rostering a backup quarterback who is a failed starting quarterback is not necessarily a bad thing. They know firsthand how difficult the position is and can provide a ton of eyes-and-ears sideline support for their starting quarterback. Few players on the roster will know exactly the pressure Mahomes is under, but Gabbert does.
Not exactly show-stopping depth chart news, but important nonetheless.
Justyn Ross has a route to full-time targets with the Chiefs
Coming into the season, rookie Justyn Ross is listed as WR3 on the depth chart, which as you might imagine, makes it unlikely that he'll see his snap count rise very high.
General manager Brett Veach -- as reported by Jesse Newell of the Kansas City Star -- concurred with that assessment, describing Ross and Rashee Rice's immediate role as "package player" status.
Though they'll be situational to start, Veach was very clear that he feels they can "graduate" to be used more regularly if they perform well in those situations.
Ross's story going into his rookie season is a very easy one to get behind. He took the world by storm in his rookie year at Clemson, but required surgery for a neck issue he was born with that wasn't found until 2019.
That surgery kept him out for all of 2020, and further unrelated injuries in 2021 and less productive play in 2022 caused his draft stock to plummet.
The decreased production alarmed teams, as did the neck issue, which is a somewhat rare one. It meant the Chiefs got him as an undrafted free agent, which, if he can come even close to what was expected from him following his 2019 year at Clemson, will be a huge steal.
Even if Ross only brings a portion of that to the table, it will still be considered a win for the Chiefs to have found a diamond in the rough.
If you're looking for a guy to root for in 2023, it's Ross.
Andy Reid found a trick play in the trash, nearly literally
Andy Reid is widely regarded as one of the best offensive minds in the NFL, and one of the smartest coaches in general. Bill Belichick's dominance with the New England Patriots likely earns him the title of best active coach, but Reid's dominance is hard to deny considering he's the only coach to hoist two Lombardi trophies in the last five years.
Go back a decade, though, and it's Belichick three, Reid two.
Back to Reid, his offense has been fun and electric, especially in Kansas City. He's drawn up exciting plays, many unlike anything we've ever seen on the gridiron before, thanks in large part to the immensely talented and unique pieces the Chiefs have acquired over the years that unlock so many possibilities.
While Reid gets the credit, he's not always the originator of the plays. He shared an epic story about where one of the trick plays originated from on Green Light with Chris Long:
Asked if he's ever taken anything from a high school playbook, Reid went way deeper than that.
"I took one from a janitor one time in Green Bay... You know, this guy kept telling me... I've got this play for you. He kept telling me. Finally, I said, 'Here's a card, draw up the play.' And he drew up the play and I go, dang, that's pretty good. We called the play just before halftime and it scored."
I can see right away how Chiefs haters will try to spin this one. They'll say this is proof that Reid isn't as smart as he looks and that he simply lifts ideas from other people and passes them as his own, taking credit for their genius.
I think the true perspective is that Reid is a real leader with a knack for knowing how to get the best out of everyone. Whether the idea originates from his quarterback, a coach, or the janitor, why should that matter? Ideas should be judged on their own merit. And bringing that approach to the table is crucially important to creating a culture where the best ideas rise to the top continuously.
It's on a coach to create that environment. A coach can instill a culture where ideas are blocked by red tape and the idea that things need to get done a certain, specific way. Or, the leader can humbly admit they don't have all the answers and create an environment where the team is bigger than the self.
I find this approach to be incredibly refreshing. Reid is humble enough to admit he might not have all the answers. I think everyone can learn something from that.
