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Mel Kiper Says Kansas City Chiefs Will Select Among Top Quarterbacks In 2013 NFL Draft

As the Kansas City Chiefs enter year four of their commitment to Matt Cassel as the team's starting quarterback, they are still apparently not sold on him for the long term. The team admitted the need for more competition early last offseason and went publicly after Peyton Manning after he was released. Suffice to say that a change might be coming in the near future.

Mel Kiper, Jr., draft analyst for ESPN, says that the Chiefs are likely among the top teams preparing to take a quarterback early in the 2013 NFL Draft. The Arizona Cardinals are the top team, according to Kiper, with the Chiefs falling in line at No. 2.

"Matt Cassel has been on a performance and health roller coaster over a four-season stretch, and, even with a good year from him, I can see the Chiefs looking to find someone to challenge him, or back him up with the goal of taking over," writes Kiper. "Brady Quinn and Ricky Stanzi will be career backups, so unless Cassel stays healthy and plays pretty well in 2012, the plan should be to find someone to either take over or push him in 2013."

Cassel's opening game gave hope in the first half that he could keep the Chiefs moving offensively, but the second half yielded three turnovers and proved the difference in the loss to the Atlanta Falcons. In the end, it was another performance that had the fan base split on their quarterback's ability to lead the team to contention.

Read more on the Chiefs at Arrowhead Pride and SB Nation Kansas City. Head over to our NFL hub page for additional news and analysis around the league.