Kansas City Chiefs: Top 3 realistic backup quarterback options

2. Ryan Fitzpatrick

Ryan Fitzpatrick has unexpectedly had a solid NFL career. He was never a star, but Fitzpatrick was a dependable starting quarterback for many years. However, at this point in his career, Fitzpatrick is clearly a backup quarterback. His full-time starter days are long behind him, but that does not mean that Fitzpatrick could not provide some value and stability off of the bench.

Fitzpatrick never had the strongest arm, and at 35 years old, his arm strength has not exactly turned into a positive. However, Fitzpatrick places the ball well and always seems to make the right decision. Plus, as an unrestricted free agent, Fitzpatrick is a realistic target.

In a way, Fitzpatrick is the anti-Mahomes. While Mahomes takes a ton of risks with his big arm, Fitzpatrick is a smart decision-maker who understands his limitations as a player. He get by with consistently making smart decisions and incredible toughness at the quarterback position.

Mahomes’ big arm is ideal for the Chiefs offense. With weapons like Tyreke Hill and Travis Kelce in the passing game, their offensive upside with Mahomes under center is absolutely massive. However, as Alex Smith has shown us in recent years, the Chiefs offense can be productive with a stable and smart decision-maker at the quarterback position.

In this scenario, Mahomes would obviously still be the starter with a ton of upside. With that being said, if something were to happen to him, the Chiefs could do worse than having Fitzpatrick ready to go. Essentially, the Chiefs would be adding a poor man’s Alex Smith as their backup quarter. Honestly, that does not sound like a terrible idea.