After Blaine Gabbert entered free agency and agreed to a one-year contract with former No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz on Monday night, the Chiefs now have an official backup quarterback.
Before suffering an injury during their ultimate Super Bowl-winning season, Wentz played with the Eagles for five seasons and garnered MVP recognition. Since then, he has played for the Rams, Commanders, and Colts as he attempts to regain his 2017 form.
Now, as the Chiefs attempt to become the first team in NFL history to win three straight Super Bowls, the journeyman quarterback will join the two-time defending champs and will likely serve as Mahomes’ primary backup.
Chiefs News: KC Signs QB Carson Wentz Wentz has not fared well in starting roles and is prone to turnover, but with Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City may be the best place for a quarterback to grow. Wentz will have a year to establish himself and earn a bigger salary before deciding whether to stay with the Chiefs or try his luck as a starter somewhere else.
It feels like a lifetime ago when Wentz finished third in AP MVP voting in 2017, but he did throw 27 TDs to just seven picks in Indianapolis in 2021.
As a backup quarterback, Andy Reid has always favored seasoned players with a ton of experience, such as Gabbert, Wentz, and now Chad Henne. Compared to picking a rookie who might be thrown into the fire in the event of a tragedy, he has more game experience than any of the other possibilities.
This is just another low-risk, high-reward strategy from one of the league’s most astute enterprises. After all, to lead a scoring drive against the Browns in the 2022–2023 playoffs, even Chad Henne had to intervene.
Assume the worst, but prepare for the best. The Chiefs are ready for everything that may come their way once more.
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