Chiefs QB of the future could be coming in 2015!
By Ben Almquist
However, there is still the question of the Chiefs’ current roster situation at quarterback. Alex Smith is under contract and won’t be going anywhere in 2015. Chase Daniel and Terrelle Pryor are both veterans with some starting experience. Tyler Bray and Aaron Murray are both once highly touted quarterback prospects currently still in development. So where does Hundley fit into all of that?
Well, first is the easy part. Neither Bray nor Murray has apparently shown enough to get a promotion to the backup spot on the roster. Things can always change, but the fact that the Chiefs are in no hurry to jettison Daniel’s cap hit despite salary cap restrictions, and the fact that Terrelle Pryor was brought in to KC in an offseason where adding a veteran quarterback makes little sense, says that there isn’t yet much confidence in either Murray or Bray. This means there is a potential roster spot available at the emergency third quarterback position.
None of the Chiefs current quarterbacks have shown enough to guarantee they will be on the roster post-2015. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
So moving on to Daniel and Pryor. As I mentioned before, Daniel has a cumbersome cap hit for the Chiefs right now, and being able to find a new backup could be just what the Chiefs need to move on from him. Terrelle Pryor’s presence on the roster actually makes this an even more likely scenario. It’s doubtful that Pryor would be brought in to replace or compete with either Murray or Bray. There’s no sense to it. No, Pryor is here to try for Daniel’s job, which means the Chiefs are not intent on keeping him if there is a better option. So there is a potential roster spot there as well.
Finally, there is Alex Smith. I will say this here and now, Alex Smith is the Chiefs starter for 2015. However, in 2016, that becomes very much in question. Alex Smith’s contract is trade friendly in 2016 to both the Chiefs and any team seeking a quick fix at quarterback. And in 2017, Smith’s contract allows for him to be cut outright. This seems to suggest the Chiefs are willing to move on from Alex Smith if they find a quality starting option over the next couple of years. You don’t do something like that unless you are hoping to be able to make some kind of move at the quarterback position.
So we have a talented player that fits a similar mold as the quarterbacks Chiefs staff has shown an affinity for in the past, and the Chiefs certainly do have a roster spot for him. To me, that sounds like a perfect situation for getting a player to turn into a starter who can lead this team for years to come. And I believe that Brett Hundley is more than able to take on that challenge.