Former Vols QB Tyler Bray Slipping Down The Chiefs’ Depth Chart?
By Zach Ragan
Former Tennessee Vols quarterback Tyler Bray opened the pre-season as the Kansas City Chiefs’ number two quarterback.
Tyler Bray entered pre-season action as the Kansas City Chiefs’ second quarterback on the depth chart, but it looks like the former Tennessee Vols signal caller might be slipping from that spot.
Rookie quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs’ first round draft pick in 2017, is working with the second team offense on Sunday, pushing Bray to third team work.
Patrick Mahomes is getting the second string reps today at QB instead of Tyler Bray.
— RIP Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) August 13, 2017
According to beat reporters, this is the first time Mahomes has received second team reps ahead of Bray.
For the first time at camp, Patrick Mahomes just took reps right after Alex Smith. Tyler Bray followed.
— Chiefs Reporter (@ChiefsReporter) August 13, 2017
Bray led Kansas City in passing yards in their first pre-season game, a loss to the San Francisco 49ers, with 63 yards on 5-of-8 passing. He also threw one interception.
Mahomes, however, was the more efficient quarterback in the loss. The former Texas Tech quarterback passed for 49 yards, completing 7-of-9 passes. He also threw a one yard touchdown pass to Marcus Kemp.
It’s obviously a small sample size, but it’s clear that Mahomes looked a little sharper than Bray in the Chiefs’ pre-season opener. That obviously doesn’t bode well for Bray.
This really shouldn’t come as much of a shock. The fact that Kansas City traded up to draft a quarterback in the first round signaled the end of Bray’s opportunities for a future with the Chiefs.
The selection of Mahomes came as a bit of a surprise, considering Kansas City extended Bray after he tore his ACL. At this point, however, they clearly feel he doesn’t have the potential to be a starter in the NFL.
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I think the best Bray can hope for now is to get extended action in pre-season games, to show other teams he can be a capable backup quarterback (he’s a free agent after this season).
Finding a serviceable quarterback is not easy. It’s barely even possible to be honest. There’s definitely a team out there that would love to have Bray and his above average arm in 2018.