Jake Haener is excited, as he should be. The young quarterback has found a new home with the Kansas City Chiefs early in the 2026 offseason, giving him a chance to learn and grow from the likes of Andy Reid, Travis Kelce, and Patrick Mahomes, among others.
Should Chiefs fans be excited about Haener? That much is questionable. That's actually nothing to do with Haener's potential to help K.C. Rather, it's the reality of having watched a slew of similar QB signings over the last half-decade resulting in mostly forgettable stints with the team.
The Chiefs are crossing their fingers that Mahomes recovers quickly from a torn ACL and LCL this offseason, while simultaneously searching for quality backups who might be forced to start in Week 1. Quarterback is a top-to-bottom need on the depth chart, so all parties involved are hoping Haener turns into something useful, now or later.
However, a review of familiar faces makes it clear that Haener faces a serious uphill climb to stand out, or even stay for long, in Kansas City. Let's recall the last several quarterbacks who have been afforded the same chance as Haener.
Chase Litton (2018-19)
The Chiefs brought Chase Litton in for rookie minicamp as an undrafted free agent signing in 2018. He would not only make it through training camp, but he earned a practice squad spot for the duration of the season. When, in January, the Chiefs brought him back with a futures deal, it was a good sign that they wanted to see him build on what he'd learned from his rookie campaign.
Litton was cut, however, before the start of the next season and that was his next-to-last last gasp in the National Football League. The Jacksonville Jaguars gave him a place to land for a month on the practice squad, but since then, Litton was found swimming in the shallower waters of the XFL and CFL for a few more years.
Shea Patterson (2020)
Shea Patterson landed in Kansas City at the same time as Ta'amu as competition for a developmental spot back in 2020. The downside was that Patterson and other roster hopefuls were forced to miss much of in-person workouts and minicamps due to a season stunted by a global pandemic. That made it hard for any newcomer to have an honest shot.
While Patterson was cut before training camp even began with the Chiefs, having been replaced by veteran Matt Moore, he has kept the dream alive in both the CFL and USFL. He spent the 2025 season with the Montreal Alouettes, his second stint with the team.
Jordan Ta'amu (2020, 2021)
Speaking of Ta'amu, he arrived for his first of two stints with the Chiefs in 2020, after the XFL's season was terminated due to COVID-19. After showing some potential with the St. Louis Battlehawks, Ta'amu caught on with K.C. and beat out Patterson for a practice squad spot he held until mid-season. From there, the Detroit Lions gave him a quick look on the practice squad before Ta'amu landed with the Chiefs once again in 2021 on a futures deal.
Ta'amu would only last until shortly after the 2021 NFL Draft that second time around, but he's resurfaced with the Commanders, Lions, and Vikings after that. He's also had a regular home with the DC Defenders in the UFL each spring, with whom he won a championship in '25. Ta'amu was named the game's MVP.
Shane Buechele (2021-23, 2025)
Shane Buechele is one of the most familiar names on this list if, for nothing else, the fact that the Chiefs recently brought him back to help them field a healthy enough roster to finish the season. But Buechele's familiarity with the team goes back to 2021, when K.C. felt fortunate to sign him as an undrafted free agent out of SMU.
Buechele not only earned a spot on the team's practice squad to start, but he eventually earned his way onto the active roster in order to keep other teams (such as the Arizona Cardinals) from signing him away. However, Buechele would run out of chances going into the '23 season and was cut in late August. The Bills claimed and that's where he's been ever since, save for that late-year appearance to ease the positional burden for the Chiefs at season's end.
Anthony Gordon (2021, 2022)
Anthony Gordon spent parts of two consecutive offseasons with the Chiefs in 2021 and again in 2022 but was unable to get past Buechele on the depth chart. The former Washington State star, who threw 48 touchdowns in 2019, was cut before active rosters were due in '21 and came back on a futures deal in 2022 only to be released after the draft.
Dustin Crum (2022)
It's interesting in a league that gives even fringe quarterbacks plenty of chances, Dustin Crum's NFL career was about as brief as it gets as the position. But perhaps that's because he's appreciative of the space he's been given in the Canadian Football League.
Crum came into the NFL as the MAC's reigning MVP after putting up impressive numbers on the ground and through the air for Kent State. He was signed by the Chiefs as a UDFA following the 2022 draft, but he was one of dozens of roster cuts before the season began. From there, he caught on with the Ottawa Redblacks and has been with them ever since.
Chris Oladokun (2022-present)
The Chiefs first signed Oladokun in 2022 after he was cut loose by the Pittsburgh Steelers, who drafted him in the seventh round that spring. The former grad transfer to South Dakota State found something of a permanent spot at Arrowhead as an oft-fluctuating QB between the active roster and practice squad over the last four years.
If there's a single ray of hope for Jake Haener on this entire list, it's found here, where Oladokun has gone from longtime developmental arm to steady practice squad presence to starting actual games. No one should be heralding Oladokun as a reliable option for the Chiefs at QB2 for next season, but he certainly belongs in the conversation.
Ian Book (2024)
The New Orleans Saints wanted a mulligan on their 2021 draft choice of Ian Book shortly after they made the selection. The fourth-round choice didn't even make it beyond his first season with the team before being cast aside heading into the 2022 campaign.
The Chiefs were the fourth NFL team to take a flyer on former Notre Dame standout Ian Book, when they signed him to a futures deal heading into the 2024 offseason. Book had previously earned looks from the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots after being dumped by the Saints. Unfortunately for Book, he lost out to Oladokun in the competition to serve as scout team QB. He's most famous for eating the most pizza slices at a team meeting.