Kyle Orton was recently waived by the Denver Broncos and his name has already been bandied about at a time when several teams have seen their starting quarterback go down. Matt Schaub is lost for the Texans. Jay Cutler is gone for the Bears. The Chiefs placed Matt Cassel on Injured Reserve. So it’s no surprise to see several NFL writers putting each of those teams in the derby to sign Orton as a replacement. But there’s no chance the Chiefs bite on that one.
The Chiefs played their hand on Sunday and that means that no other quarterback is going to enter their NFL roster, save for another injury to Tyler Palko or Ricky Stanzi. Palko was given every chance to impress against the Patriots on Monday Night Football and both the head coach and players spoke out that they liked what they saw. Not only that but the rookie fifth rounder Stanzi had to sit the whole game even with the Chiefs down by 31 at the end. That’s because the Chiefs are playing the guys they’ve got.
Even if they end up passing on Palko, then Stanzi will be given the rest of the season’s reps. If anything, the Chiefs have to go into the off-season knowing exactly what each guy brings to the table: Cassel, Palko and Stanzi. If they’re armed with a high draft pick or the $30 million Uncle Scrooge is holding in the vault, then they have to know when and where to invest those assets. Bringing in Orton only muddies a picture that actually has a very clear plan to it.
The Chiefs haven’t had a season like they wanted and if they had a 6-4 record and could switch places with the Raiders, then perhaps a name like Orton should warrant serious consideration. But it’s clear the Chiefs quarterback position is not what it should be for a team with so much talent all over the field. Once players return from injury and another draft class comes in, the Chiefs will become favorites to take the AFC West again next fall. The Chiefs just have to figure out who will take them there.