Getty Kansas City Chiefs backup quarterback Shane Buechele celebrates with Patrick Mahomes II in 2021.
The Kansas City Chiefs were one of the rare NFL franchises that kept three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster in 2022 — and they could do so again in 2023.
Back in May, the league passed an emergency quarterback rule “allowing clubs to dress a third QB without using an active roster spot on game days.” Of course, to do this, you’d have to either elevate that third stringer off the practice squad or already have them on the active roster.
The expectation is that this alteration could encourage a lot of franchises to keep three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster this year. An organization like the Chiefs — who already did this the season prior — is even more likely to take advantage of the new parameters with Patrick Mahomes II and veteran Blaine Gabbert as near-locks to headline the QB room.
Last year’s third stringer was the 25-year-old Shane Buechele, a former undrafted prospect who has served as Mahomes’ understudy since 2021. Head coach Andy Reid has seemingly been grooming the SMU product for an eventual role as the backup — and some thought he might take on those duties in 2023.
Instead, it could be another season as the QB3 for Buechele — well, assuming he survives the cutdown.
Chiefs QB Shane Buechele Expected to Battle Chris Oladokun for QB3 Job in Training Camp
Despite this new rule and the Chiefs’ history of keeping three quarterbacks, Buechele is not a lock to make the Week 1 roster according to USA Today Chiefs Wire’s Charles Goldman. The KC media member voiced that the third-year signal-caller is on the “roster bubble” heading into late July.
“I’d be surprised at the Chiefs moving on from Buechele after investing so much time and a 53-man roster spot in his development over the past two seasons,” Goldman acknowledged before stating: “That said, signing a veteran (Blaine Gabbert) to a contract that basically guarantees he’s on the roster doesn’t exactly bode well for Buechele’s future.”
“At best, he has a great training camp and preseason, leading to him climbing the depth chart in a three-man quarterback room,” he concluded. “At worst, the team wasted a roster spot for the past two seasons on a player they end up dumping in 2023 roster cuts.”
If Buechele does end up getting dumped, as Goldman put it, that means one of two things occurred in training camp.
One, Coach Reid could decide the roster is just too deep to carry three quarterbacks again in 2023 — figuring that he’d be able to sneak either Buechele or 2022 UDFA Chris Oladokun onto the practice squad.
Two, Oladokun impresses and steals the job away from Buechele.
Scouting on Shane Buechele & Chris Oladokun in Chiefs’ QB3 Battle
The two current developmental QB candidates are both similar and very different. Both are dual-threat athletes that can move the pocket and make throws on the run.
However, Oladokun certainly has the higher ceiling when it comes to arm strength and off-platform throws. That doesn’t mean he’s winning the job.
Where Buechele has the leg up is experience and football IQ. Not only has he learned Reid’s system for two full seasons, but the 6-foot passer profiles as the better decision-maker with the ball in his hands.
If Oladokun can close the gap in that area in year two, Buechele could be in for a battle this summer. After all, the former is known for his plus-athleticism, and he has the desired gifts and abilities to excel behind a fantastic teacher like Mahomes.
Buechele has more of a limit to his potential, although he has done well to prove himself in KC.
This is an important decision, considering both quarterbacks could very well get poached off waivers should Reid choose to cut them. Oladokun had several suitors as a UDFA, and Buechele’s experience learning behind Mahomes could entice a team or two to take a chance on him.