Kansas City Chiefs: Key position battles
With the NFL draft now in the rear view mirror we now basically have all the pieces that will make up the 2016 Kansas City Chiefs. Which pieces will make the final cut and what order they will be arranged in is yet to be determined. With Chiefs rookie camp already in the books and OTAs looming around the corner the answers to these questions will soon begin to take shape.
We all know that players like Alex Smith, Jamaal Charles, Jeremy Maclin, Travis Kelce, Marcus Peters, Eric Berry, Dontari Poe, Derrick Johnson, and several others basically have their jobs set before the first snap of OTAs. However, even on a playoff team that is returning most of its nucleus there are still many jobs up for grabs. So before the competitions really get under way and the picture begins to become clear I thought it might be worth taking a look at the spots where there will be the most up for grabs once the players take the field.
Let’s get right into it with the offense.
The Back Up Quarterbacks:
In the mix: Aaron Murray, Kevin Hogan, Tyler Bray
Alex Smith’s spot at the top of the quarterback depth chart is chiseled in granite, but the rest of the quarterback spots are more likely written in dry-erase marker at this point. I think Aaron Murray has to be the front runner for the second spot. The Chiefs used a fifth round draft pick on Murray (as opposed to being an undrafted free agent like Tyler Bray).
He has two years in the system (as opposed to rookie fifth round pick Kevin Hogan). Plus, Murray is very similar in make up to Alex Smith. They are both mobile quarterbacks that are accurate in the short range and don’t take a ton of risks down the field. Basically, the Chiefs wouldn’t have to change their offense drastically if Murray had to step in for Smith.
With Bray they would have to change their game plan to fit the big armed pocket passer and they they would likely have to stream line the play book for a rookie like Hogan. This will be a fun battle to watch play out. If all three of these guys look promising the Chiefs may look to deal Bray for a late round pick or someone could wind up with a “mysterious injury” that keeps them on IR for the season.
Next: Receivers...