The Kansas City Chiefs have solved their backup quarterback dilemma.
Both Matt Moore and Chad Henne were scheduled to become free agents in 2020, leaving Kansas City with limited options behind star QB Patrick Mahomes. At the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, I asked Chiefs general manager Brett Veach about his plans at the backup QB position.
“We’ve been blessed and fortunate to have two veteran guys that just did a tremendous job,” Veach told Chiefs Wire. “Chad (Henne) got hurt. And Matt (Moore) came out of retirement and played really good football for us in that Minnesota game that we won in the middle of the season. It was a big deal. We actually have two meetings scheduled with both their representatives this week as well. We’ll see how that goes, but I anticipate one of those guys being back and we’ll have to work through the dialogue with both their agents and see what makes sense for them and us.”
Veach has made a decision on which of the two will be back with the Chiefs for the 2020 season and beyond. According to a new report from Yahoo Sports’ Terez Paylor, Henne will remain the backup for Kansas City with a new two-year deal.
The Chiefs has re-signed Chad Henne to a 2-year deal, a source tells me.
— Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) March 17, 2020
Henne has played in just one game in his two seasons with the Chiefs, throwing three passes with two completions for 29 yards. Henne spent the majority of the 2019 season on injured reserve, which precipitated the need for signing Moore out of retirement. Henne eventually was designated as one of two players returning from injury. He was active for one game during the 2019 playoff run that resulted in Super Bowl LIV.
Now that the Chiefs have the backup QB situation solved, you can scratch quarterback off their list of needs in the 2020 NFL draft. It wouldn’t be out of the ordinary to see them bring in an undrafted free agent or two to compete with Henne and second-year QB Kyle Shurmur.
Since Henne was under contract with Kansas City last season, he’s free to sign with the team immediately. Expect the official announcement to come from the Chiefs sometime tomorrow.