The Kansas City Chiefs, with a record of 4-6 at the bottom of the AFC West, are among the first eight teams with a chance to submit a waiver claim for Kyle Orton now that the former Denver Bronco quarterback has been released. While we’ve previously argued that the idea simply is not happening, that doesn’t mean that we’re right. In fact, NFL.com’s Jeff Darlington says the Chiefs are among the teams that make the most sense.
“Even at 4-6, the Chiefs aren’t necessarily out of the hunt in the bizarre land of the AFC West,” says Darlington. “Sure, the Raiders have the momentum. Yes, Tim Tebow has made it clear you shouldn’t doubt him, either. But Kansas City is only two wins from the top, and Tyler Palko didn’t exactly look like the guy to orchestrate the surge without a healthy Matt Cassel. For a six-week lease? Orton seems worth it.”
The Chiefs are definitely within striking distance of the division and were just in first place a few weeks ago, so that’s a very valid point. Orton would be a step up for sure above Palko and Stanzi on paper, but that’s denying schemes and systems and the Raiders saw the pains of throwing a new guy into a game when Carson Palmer threw three second half interceptions against the Chiefs.
The investment to acclimate Orton would simply take too much time for it to make much sense to the Chiefs.