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Chiefs quarterback Chris Oladokun at Caesars Superdome on August 13, 2023.
The Kansas City Chiefs have brought in some reinforcements for their quarterback position, including a new No. 2 for Patrick Mahomes as he continues to recover from a season-ending injury.
The team’s additions could mean the end of the line for a signal-caller who finished out the 2025 season as the starter.
SI.com’s Joshua Briscoe broke down the Chiefs players on the roster bubble as training camp approaches, noting that quarterback Chris Oladokun could face an uphill battle to return to the active roster. The former practice squad quarterback was elevated for the conclusion of last season, starting when both Mahomes and Gardner Minshew went down with injuries.
Chris Oladokun Faces Difficult Task to Make Final Roster
As Briscoe noted, Oladokun didn’t exactly seize his opportunity to prove he can be a starting quarterback in the NFL.
“Following injuries to Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew near the end of the 2025 season, quarterback Chris Oladokun received his first taste of significant NFL action in Weeks 15-17,” Briscoe wrote. “Unfortunately for Oladokun, the offense struggled under his command — for a variety of reasons beyond just Oladokun’s performance — and his brief showcase was unimpressive.”
Despite losing Minshew in free agency, Briscoe suggested that a trio of new quarterback additions have pushed Oladokun even further down the depth chart.
“While Mahomes continues to recover from his torn ACL, the Chiefs traded for New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields after adding former 2023 fourth-round pick Jake Haener for depth this offseason,” Briscoe wrote. “Then, in a bit of a surprise, the Chiefs selected LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier with the No. 249 overall pick in the draft.”
Briscoe added that Oladokun could have an advantage as the “most experienced backup in Andy Reid’s system,” but it would still leave him with a difficult task to earn a spot on the roster. Even returning to the practice squad could be difficult now that the Chiefs added three new quarterbacks with more experience or promise than Oladokun.
Chiefs Earn Praise for Garrett Nussmeier Pick
The Chiefs landed an intriguing quarterback in Nussmeier, who could grow into a long-term backup for Mahomes. ESPN’s Jordan Reid called it the best quarterback landing spot outside of Fernando Mendoza with the Las Vegas Raiders.
“While it took a lot longer than expected, Nussmeier went to Kansas City at pick No. 249 and gets a chance to learn under coach Andy Reid,” Reid wrote. “With Patrick Mahomes recovering from an ACL injury, Nussmeier has a chance to compete with Justin Fields for significant reps in training camp.”
Fields will likely still land the No. 2 spot barring an unexpectedly strong training camp from Nussmeier, but the rookie could have the chance to develop on the practice squad. That mirrors a strategy that the New England Patriots took during Tom Brady’s tenure, when they would draft and develop intriguing quarterbacks like Jimmy Garoppolo. If Nussmeier could develop at the same rate, it could give the Chiefs the option to either keep him on as a trusted backup or trade him to a quarterback-needy team.
