Shane Buechele: the future Kansas City Chiefs insurance policy

We are well in to the NFL’s Legal Tampering Period and we have recently learned that Chad Henne, who has been Patrick Mahomes‘s number two since 2018, is coming back on a one year deal. At 36, it’s reasonable to begin to wonder how much longer Henne will want to play football. Further, the Kansas City Chiefs seem to love their young quarterback Shane Buechele.

Buechele was protected from being stolen from the Kansas City practice squad on multiple occasions last season. This could mean a lot of things. Perhaps the Chiefs simply loved the different looks that he could present to the defense from the practice squad. After all, it’s very possible that he can play in a versatile role that helps the defense formulate a game plan at a high level. Or perhaps head coach Andy Reid likes him to be the heir to Henne as the Chiefs backup quarterback in 2023 or beyond.

Chad Henne is back for at least one more year. After that, the Chiefs could be looking to make Shane Buechele Kansas City’s new number two.

Shane Buechele, after all, is no slouch. Starting out his college career at Texas, Buechele excelled as a freshman, throwing 21 touchdown passes and nearly 3,000 yards. After spending another year with Texas, Buechele ultimately transferred to SMU. There, he spent two seasons that combined for 57 touchdown passes and 7,024 yards. While Buechele did not get drafted, he was an impressive collegiate athlete.

While Buechele is not an ideal size and did not “measure” well at the combine, his tape is clear and consistent. He makes good choices with the ball and understands how to run an offense. While he is not physically impressive by any means, he has adequate arm strength and speed. He does not shy away from contact and can take hits.

When the 2021-2022 season starts, Henne will be 37-years-old. He has undoubtedly looked to the future and wondered how much longer he will play the game of football. While Buechele is far from being proven, it may make sense for him to be the heir to Henne. It is important to note that Andy Reid has always gotten the best from his quarterbacks, including the time that he made Kevin Kolb a tradable asset. Buechele may very well be Andy Reid’s new project.