The Kansas City Chiefs have several other decisions to make that are far, far more important than anything they will do at the quarterback position. That said, they are not without considerations there, even with Patrick Mahomes at the helm.
When a team has the greatest quarterback in the game starting under center (we’re not arguing this here), there’s really not much to worry about at the position or even on the offensive side. That’s certainly true for the Chiefs who would sport an above-average defense even if some key players left and/or others were injured. As it is, they’re expected to have one of the league’s greatest offensive units year after year—mostly due to the presence of Mahomes (and having a Hall of Fame coach in Andy Reid doesn’t hurt).
Beyond Mahomes, however, the Chiefs are going to have to make a choice this fall and it has to do with Chad Henne. The decision, however, really isn’t so much about Henne and what he does or does not bring to the team. Rather it’s what his presence represents and whether or not the Chiefs feel they still need it.
Do the Chiefs need a player like Chad Henne around for another year behind Patrick Mahomes?
The Chiefs are four years into Henne at this point after he signed successive two-year deals in the 2018 and 2020 offseasons. After trading Alex Smith to the Washington Football Team, the Chiefs signed Henne to be Mahomes’ veteran mentor and positional stability. Over his four years in K.C., Henne completed 41 of 57 passes in 8 total games (1 start) for 359 yards and 2 touchdowns with 0 interceptions. He did throw a pick in the postseason in relief of Mahomes in a close win over the Cleveland Browns in the 2020 postseason.
Four years later, the question has to be asked: Does Mahomes need someone like Henne anymore?
Why bring back Chad Henne?
At this point, Chad Henne fits everything the Chiefs could want in a veteran quarterback profile. He’s capable of coming in and providing reliable play for the Chiefs from time to time—or at least he has in the past. He knows Mahomes very well after four years together in the locker room, film room, and on the sidelines. He’s well-versed in the offense and brings experience and perspective from more than a decade playing in the league.
Most importantly, the coaches clearly trust him in the role enough to bring him back when they could have gone elsewhere (remember Henne was injured for a full year and Matt Moore could have been the one instead). In addition, Henne’s most recent deal was a two-year contract worth north of $3 million, so clearly he’s not going to expect any long-term commitment nor anything that would break the bank. That’s going to be important for a team with cap issues.
Why not bring back Chad Henne?
Mahomes is now entering his sixth NFL season in 2022. How long does a team need to secure a veteran backup/mentor for a young quarterback? It’s possible that timeline is now over, which means Mahomes has seen enough and done enough to serve as the veteran himself.
Remember that smart teams with veteran elite quarterbacks eventually began to build a luxury pipeline of developmental quarterbacks. New England would draft a quarterback every few years behind Tom Brady in order to not only have young security at the position in case of emergency but it was also considerable trade bait down the road. The Green Bay Packers did the same and were able to offload those players after a few seasons for valuable assets.
The whole argument for not bringing back Henne really has nothing to do with Henne at all. Instead, it’s going to be about the organization’s philosophy on how to handle Mahomes and the quarterback position going forward.
Recommendation
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with bringing Chad Henne back at all. We’re also not entirely sure that the Chiefs will be interested in a veteran returning at all.
If the Chiefs are interested in keeping an elder voice in the room with Mahomes from a player perspective, then Henne is absolutely the guy to bring back. He’s got another year of familiarity with the team, the culture, the playbook under his belt, and he’s used to accepting short-term deals on the cheap to make things work out on the books. Bringing in someone else doesn’t make any sense unless Henne wants to call it quits.
That said, bringing anyone back is not a lock here.
Prediction
The Chiefs make their first draft investment, albeit a very low one, in a quarterback since taking Patrick Mahomes and allow Mahomes to grow into the elder role after completing his first five year-cycle with the team.