KC Chiefs should make quick check-in call to Chad Henne

There was always this phrase my uncle would say in my childhood years that I've never forgotten because of its truthfulness: the answer is always no until you ask.

That piece of advice applies to nearly everything—from asking out a potential love interest to pursuing a raise to attempting to negotiate at a garage sale. And it certainly applies in the case of a general manager, perhaps named Brett Veach of the Kansas City Chiefs, checking in on the playing interest of various persons, perhaps someone who has played quarterback before like Chad Henne.

At the present time, the depth chart at quarterback reads 1.) Patrick Mahomes, and 2.) Blaine Gabbert. That's it and that's how the Chiefs like their active rosters. Gone are the three-tiered days of yesteryear with Henne and even Shane Buechele lingering in backup roles for multiple seasons, because Henne made it clear he was ready to retire immediately following Super Bowl LVII.

Asking Chad Henne what he's doing this winter is a harmless call worth making for the Chiefs.

But ask yourself this: how you'd feel if Mahomes were to go down at any given point for any length of time?

For the regular season, the Chiefs decided to roll with Gabbert over Buechele following training camp and preseason games, and that is still the plan being carried out. But now that we're in the home stretch of the season—with very real consequences accompanying each loss and the Chiefs in prime position for another title run—Gabbert feels a bit different with his 2 interceptions on 5 passing attempts in a single appearance in mop-up duty versus Chicago in Week 3.

No offense to Gabbert intended here. It's quite possible that, in any sort of emergency circumstances, Gabbert would rise to the occasion and perform admirably in a desperate situation. Perhaps Gabbert has one or more memorable moments in him for Chiefs Kingdom in the same way that Henne put together a 99-yard postseason drive right when the Chiefs needed it on their way to a Super Bowl title a year ago. And that single showing against Chicago shouldn't make or break him.

But that's not what we're saying here either. No one is saying to release Gabbert. What we're saying is simple: make a five-minute phone call to Chad Henne that leads with. "How have you been?" and closes with, "So if we were in a bind, would you be interested?" A simple check-in would help the Chiefs know every option available to them and a safety net in case Gabbert can't get it done.

And hey, the answer is always no until you ask.