Chiefs already have a glaring problem with rookie QB Garrett Nussmeier

The Kansas City Chiefs already have their starting quarterback in Patrick Mahomes. This much is well-established, as Mahomes has multiple Super Bowls to his name and is one of the NFL's brightest stars. However, that didn't stop KC from revamping their quarterback depth chart this offseason. The Chiefs traded for Justin Fields as a break-glass-in-case-of-emergency option should Mahomes miss time, and they drafted LSU's Garrett Nussmeier in the seventh round.

Nussmeier is a flawed prospect, in that he has a high floor but his ceiling doesn't offer much in terms of quarterback development. Most draft pundits project Nussmeier as a career backup, which is just fine considering the team that selected him. What's most confusing about Nussmeier's status, though, is the Chiefs plan with him.

Chiefs QB depth chart presents immediate challenge for Garrett Nussmeier

The Chiefs plan for Nussmeier is quite simple, as outlined by ESPN this past week. Andy Reid and Co. will consider this a redshirt year of sorts for the rookie, with the hope that he'll develop into a solid backup for Mahomes in 2027 and beyond.

"Nussmeier should consider this his redshirt rookie season. The Chiefs see plenty of potential in him as the future long-term backup to Patrick Mahomes. But with Justin Fields on the roster this season, Nussmeier's role is one where he should listen to Reid, offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Mahomes and Fields and take notes for 2027 and beyond. Those lessons, and a yearlong plan to improve his skills and strengthen his body, should allow Nussmeier to be in the mix to be Mahomes' backup in 2027," Jordan Reid wrote.

All of this makes sense on paper. The Chiefs will carry four quarterbacks into training camp, as most teams do, and they'll choose the best three. Being that Nussmeier is a rookie, he has an inherent advantage over Oladokun in that Kansas City would prefer the newcomer succeed. However, that doesn't guarantee him a spot, especially as a seventh-round pick.

Chiefs have quarterbacks with more experience than Garrett Nussmeier

I mean, none of this should be a surprise. One of the strengths in Nussmeier's game is that he's been to war in the SEC. Like I mentioned, Nussmeier has a high floor and a low ceiling, which is great for a backup quarterback. He knows what he is. Yet, if the Chiefs are banking on that SEC experience coming into play, they need not look further than some of the other backup QB options on their depth chart.

Say what you will about Oladokun, but he has started actual NFL games and starred at times in the preseason. That could make him an attractive trade asset, but it also might give him a leg up over Nussmeier on a team built to win now. There's no denying that Mahomes and Fields are QB1 and QB2, but the battle for QB3 is very real. It's not like the Chiefs spent significant draft capital on Nussmeier.

The Chiefs are saying all the right things about Nussmeier after rookie camp, as they should. But if they're truly evaluating their best options behind Mahomes and Fields for the upcoming season, it's impossible to ignore the work Oladokun put in last season. Oladokun, who is a former seventh-round pick himself, played in three games once Mahomes went down and didn't play all that poorly. He's also a more valuable practice squad asset, as he can mimic some of the best quarterbacks the Chiefs may face this season, including Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen (he's done this before).

The so-called glaring problem with Nussmeier is nothing personal. It's just business in the NFL. If the Chiefs are banking on the LSU product's strengths — and those are the traits they value most — they need not look further than the quarterback behind him on the depth chart.

More NFL news and analysis:

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow