Were you surprised by the Nick Foles signing? Even with the Andy Reid connection, I kind of was. Were Chiefs backups Tyler Bray and Aaron Murray surprised? I asked each of them that question while up at Chiefs training camp on Saturday.
“I didn’t hear anything about it,” Bray said, “just all of a sudden I got a call saying that we had signed him. He’s a great football player. He’s played, he went to the Pro Bowl, he was the MVP so he has experience, so I mean he has to go out there and compete.”
Bray is still consistently getting second team reps so he has to believe he has a good shot to make this team. He has the physical tools that a coach like Andy Reid believes he can work with. He’s had a good camp, too.
“You know, the thing with the league is there is two types of things, obviously what goes on the field and the business side,” Murray said. “As players we can’t worry about that business side what’s going on and stress yourself out. If you worry about all of that kind of stuff – the trades and the moves and signings – it’s going to affect your playing on the field. My goal is to come out here and feel great every day and go out there and perform, so I can’t worry myself with what’s going on in the business side.”
If you look at it right now, things don’t look good for Murray. He’s consistently behind Bray and Foles when it comes to reps. He wasn’t drafted three months ago like Kevin Hogan. But he can’t do anything about that. What if someone gets injured? What if the coaches cut someone else? Even if the numbers are against him, he has incentive to work hard and put up good tape for other teams.
There’s something to like about all five of the Chiefs quarterbacks. One or maybe two of them will likely be cut in the coming weeks but there’s still something to like. I don’t envy Reid and Dorsey’s position in having to decide between them.