Chiefs: Quarterback battle brewing behind Patrick Mahomes

Both Patrick Mahomes and Chad Henne have their quarterback slots locked down, yet there’s an impending quarterback battle brewing in Kansas City. 

Patrick Mahomes is easily the undisputed gunslinger for Kansas City in 2022, and it’s virtually assured that Chad Henne will remain his backup this season.

But there is a fascinating battle set to ensue this summer as Shane Buechele and Dustin Crum compete for the No. 3 quarterback slot, per Chiefs team reporter Matt McMullen.

Whether they’ll be signed on to the practice squad or make the 53-man roster remains to be seen, but this still allows one of these quarterbacks to develop under head coach Andy Reid for the future.

Quarterback battle for the No. 3 spot set to take place during Chiefs training camp

Shane Buechele went through this processlast season, when he signed to the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent and won the No. 3 slot over Anthony Gordon. It was Buechele who played in all three preseason games in 2021, passing for 422 yards and three touchdowns. Buechele made the practice squad and joined the active roster in November. The SMU graduate was compared to Case Keenum in a 2021 draft analysis.

Crum enters training camp in Buechele’s shoes, so to speak: he is an undrafted free agent who’s competing at camp this year the way Buechele did last year.

Crum hails from Kent State, where he passed for 3,187 yards and 20 touchdowns as well as six interceptions in 2021. Crum also brings out-of-pocket playmaking to the table, rushing for 703 yards and 12 touchdowns this past year.

Crum could also succeed Patrick Mahomes one day with similar fourth-quarter heroics, as Crum threw 17 of his 20 passing touchdowns in the fourth quarter — with no interceptions. Considered the No. 10 quarterback in this year’s class, he’s been described as an “athletic play-extender with rush skills and toughness outside the pocket.” Sounds a little like the KC passer who’s starting job is most certainly not in contention.

But with Shane Buechele and now Dustin Crum, the Chiefs are even more set at the quarterback position. Mahomes is the face of the franchise who has won the AFC West for four years running, and the 26-year-old phenom shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon — but if Mahomes becomes injured, the Chiefs have solid options waiting in the wings.