This 12 months, many Chiefs followers have assumed that 12-year NFL veteran Blaine Gabbert shall be backing up quarterback Patrick Mahomes in 2023.
There’s ample proof for that assumption.
In all however one among head coach Andy Reid’s 10 seasons in Kansas Metropolis, he has had a veteran participant behind his backup quarterback: Chase Daniel (2013-2015), Nick Foles (2016) and Chad Henne (2018-2022).
(Veteran Matt Moore, after all, was 2019’s backup. However he was filling in for Henne, who had been injured within the preseason).
The one deviation from Reid’s regular routine has been Mahomes — who backed up Alex Smith throughout his rookie season in 2017. I count on, nevertheless, that we’ll all agree that this was merely the primary of a number of hundred instances that the two-time NFL MVP has proved to be the exception to a rule.
However as our Caleb James confirmed in his Arrowhead Satisfaction movie overview on Tuesday, Gabbert is now going through a severe problem from third-year participant Shane Buechele to turn out to be the first backup. Each performed very effectively throughout Saturday’s 38-10 preseason defeat of the Arizona Cardinals.
If this have been some other season underneath Reid, the battle between these two would decide which one among them would safe a spot on the 53-man roster — and which one would spend the season on the group’s observe squad. This has been a constant tendency in Reid’s method in Kansas Metropolis.
However a brand new rule adopted by the league in 2023 has modified that. Beneath this provision, groups can gown a 3rd “emergency” quarterback who doesn’t rely towards the traditional 47/48-player gameday roster restrict.
This rule has two essential stipulations. First, the third quarterback should be on the 53-man roster; they’ll’t be a participant who was elevated from the observe squad. The second is that the third quarterback could solely play if each the primary and second quarterbacks have been injured. In reality, as soon as the third quarterback has entered the sport, he should return to the bench if both of the opposite two quarterbacks are later cleared to return.
So when the Chiefs selected to not roster a fullback this season — the primary time that’s occurred throughout Reid’s tenure — it doubtless wasn’t as a result of Reid had lastly been satisfied that fullbacks not have a legit function in as we speak’s recreation. It’s extra more likely to have occurred as a result of Reid wished that roster spot for a 3rd quarterback.
How do we all know this? As a result of from 1999 by means of 2010 — when Reid was the top coach of the Philadelphia Eagles (and gameday rosters have been restricted to 45 gamers) — the league had an analogous emergency quarterback rule. In eight of these 12 seasons, the Eagles rostered three quarterbacks.
So no matter which quarterback finally ends up being thought of Mahomes’ major backup for 2023, each Gabbert and Buechele are very more likely to make the group’s preliminary 53-man roster subsequent Tuesday.
Right here’s the one query to be determined: which one shall be designated because the emergency quarterback?
My cash is on Buechele — as a result of even in Philadelphia, Reid tended to switch injured beginning quarterbacks with veterans. But when Mahomes is said out earlier than a recreation begins, my guess is that Buechele would be the starter.
Right here’s why: if the group merely has to get by means of a recreation after Mahomes is injured, Gabbert’s expertise would be the key issue. But when the Chiefs have to start a recreation with out their starter, the youthful, extra athletic Buechele would be the quarterback who stands the most effective likelihood of success whereas working Mahomes’ offense.
Right here’s to hoping we by no means have to search out out if I’m proper.
