We know Chiefs’ QB1, but who else makes depth chart? A guess as our camp previews begin
The most notable storyline of the Chiefs offseason came at a position in which they needed no changes.
Quarterback.
Heading into 2020, there never would be any suspicion about the Chiefs’ QB1. But now they’ve cemented the position for years to come.
A lot of years. Mahomes is tied to Kansas City through 2031 after signing a 10-year, financially record-breaking extension in July.
That drew the headlines. But the Chiefs made several other moves at the depths of their quarterback position since winning the Super Bowl. They re-signed Chad Henne in March. Re-signed Matt Moore in July. And they added Jordan Ta’amu from the XFL in March. Those are the four passers the Chiefs have taken into this year’s training camp at Arrowhead Stadium.
As they use camp to determine how the pieces fit into their depth chart — without the aid of the preseason — The Star is breaking down the specifics of the team’s roster, position by position.
Up first: the quarterbacks.
Current roster
Patrick Mahomes, Chad Henne, Matt Moore, Jordan Ta’amu
Key position battle
The No. 2 job.
Will it be Henne or Moore?
The Chiefs have already made this decision once ... back in 2018. In the market for a backup, they were picking between Henne and Moore in the free agent market. They went with Henne. So he makes the most sense here, right?
Well, Moore complicated that conversation last season. Henne was injured last preseason, so when Mahomes dislocated his kneecap in Denver, Moore played the final two-plus quarters there and then received a pair of starts, beating the Vikings, an eventual playoff team. And he performed admirably. In those three appearances, he threw four touchdowns and zero interceptions, and he finished the year with a 100.9 quarterback rating.
On the other hand, the fact the Chiefs signed Henne early in the offseason and waited until last month to add Moore could offer a clue that Henne has the early leg up.
Best-case scenario for the Chiefs: we never know who would start in place of Mahomes in 2020.
Who to watch
Jordan Ta’amu.
The Chiefs know what they have in Mahomes, Henne and Moore. They’re veteran quarterbacks with experience in Andy Reid’s offense.
Ta’amu, 22, offers the unknown and therefore the intrigue.
Undrafted out of Mississippi a year earlier, Ta’amu turned to the newly-formed and already-extinct XFL. He turned the St. Louis BattleHawks into the league’s surprise, leading the team to a 3-2 record. Ta’amu had a league-best completion percentage (72%) and threw five touchdowns.
Could he carve out a spot?
He has a quality that Moore and Henne can’t mirror — his legs are a weapon. A dual-threat quarterback,, he led all quarterbacks with 217 rushing yards in five XFL games.
At age 22, he’s certainly unlikely to unseat Moore or Henne on the depth chart, but he could secure a place on the practice squad in 2020.
Previous installments, and remaining schedule, for our two-week Chiefs training camp preview series:
Monday: Quarterbacks: We know who No. 1 is, but what about the backups?
Tuesday: The defensive line: It will be a strength again.
Wednesday, Aug. 5: Sizing up the running backs depth chart
Thursday, Aug. 6: At linebacker, Hitchens anchors the corps
Friday, Aug. 7: Plenty of targets for Patrick Mahomes at WR
Monday, Aug. 10: After Ward, Chiefs have corner questions
Tuesday, Aug. 11: Among the tight ends, it’s Kelce and ...
Wednesday, Aug. 12: Safeties
Thursday, Aug. 13: offensive line
Friday, Aug. 14: special teams
This story was originally published August 3, 2020 at 10:47 AM.