Alex Smith will get his extension. Chase Daniel is set behind him on the depth chart. For the first time in years, the Chiefs appear very stable at the quarterback position from top to bottom. Yes, even that third and final spot is stable in that it will hold a developmental quarterback of some kind. The only question is who it will be.
Tyler Bray is currently manning the position. After going undrafted in the 2013 NFL Draft, Bray signed as a free agent with the Chiefs and beat out Ricky Stanzi for the final QB spot on the roster. Bray came out of Tennessee widely regarded for his arm strength and natural ability, but inconsistency and inaccuracy plagued him throughout his college career. Even in a paper-thin draft class, Bray failed to entice a single team to take a chance.
The Chiefs were waiting to scoop him up, however, and they stuck with him through offseason activities and through the entire 2013 season. Bray failed to garner any playing time in the regular season, even in Week 17 when the Chiefs benched most of their starters. However, it shouldn't be that surprising given that the game was also a showcase for Daniel to earn a solid amount of reps.
Bray did have a solid preseason and displayed some of that arm strength with the Chiefs' longest completion in August with a 43-yard strike to Josh Bellamy. Bray completed 21 of 40 pass attempts (52.5 percent) for 220 yards. He had three touchdowns and one interception and finished with an 83.3 rating.
The only question at this point is whether or not Bray can hold off the team from looking at another rookie. The answer is likely not. At the very least, the Chiefs are likely to add another developmental quarterback to the roster either late in the draft or afterward. It simply doesn't make sense to refrain from competition for that developmental spot.
Given the glut of underclassmen in this year's draft, several fascinating quarterbacks could be available for John Dorsey to sway into camp after the draft. That's a list that could include Tajh Boyd, Connor Shaw, Jeff Matthews, Tom Savage, Chase Rettig, Casey Pachall, Garrett Gilbert and several others.
It's a good thing for the Chiefs to consider (and select) another developmental quarterback to partner with Bray in offseason activities and preseason games. If Bray outlasts the competition this time around, then Chiefs fans can feel pretty good about the young talent on the roster. If not, then that only means the Chiefs improved at an important spot. It's a win-win proposition for everyone. Except for Tyler Bray.