KC Chiefs head coach Andy Reid talked to veteran quarterbacks this offseason as the Chiefs were looking for someone to back up Patrick Mahomes after the Alex Smith trade. They could have gone with a young guy or a vet and the Chiefs chose the vet in 32-year old Chad Henne.
“I’ve always admired him,” Reid said from the league meetings in Orlando this week. “I like the way he’s wired. He has tremendous toughness. He’s seen about everything. I just think he’ll be great – he’ll understand his role with us and still be ready to compete and most of all be ready in case something happens to Patrick.”
Reid said that he thought it was important to get a backup in who could support Mahomes which Henne did in Jacksonville with Blake Bortles.
“I thought that was important,” Reid said. “I thought, when I talked to these veteran guys I wanted a veteran guy in there. I thought Chad fit that well, he’s seen enough. He’s been around this type of situation for the last few years and on the other hand he was a high draft pick and had the whole weight of the NFL and franchise on his back at the Dolphins. So I thought that fit well in what we’re going to ask him to do.”
I wouldn’t hate the idea of bringing in a younger quarterback to develop but it makes sense the Chiefs would want someone who could support Mahomes not only on game day but the rest of the week too. They still could bring in a young quarterback as their No. 3.