Kansas City Chiefs Turn to Shane Buechele After Quarterback Injuries

The Kansas City Chiefs are bolstering their quarterback roster by signing Shane Buechele from the Buffalo Bills' practice squad, as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter. This temporary solution comes in light of a quarterback crisis as the team has already been eliminated from playoff contention.

With star quarterback Patrick Mahomes sidelined, the Chiefs' situation worsened when Gardner Minshew suffered a non-displaced tibial plateau fracture during their recent 26-9 defeat to the Tennessee Titans. This leaves Kansas City in a vulnerable position as they approach the final games of the season.

Buechele, who originally joined the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2021, spent the last season with the Bills before dealing with a neck injury that sidelined him for the entire 2024 season. During his time with Buffalo, he showcased his potential in a preseason finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, completing 25 of 30 passes for 278 yards and a touchdown.

Despite this performance, Buechele remained lower down the depth chart behind notable quarterbacks Josh Allen and Mitchell Trubisky. With the recent injuries, the signing of Buechele could pave the way for his first NFL game action, potentially as early as this Thursday against the Denver Broncos.

In the last matchup against the Titans, Chris Oladokun stepped in as quarterback, finishing with 11 completions on 16 attempts for 111 yards. If Oladokun struggles in upcoming games, especially in the decisive matchups against the Broncos and the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 18, head coach Andy Reid might consider giving Buechele a shot to demonstrate his abilities.

With only Mahomes signed for the upcoming year, the coming weeks are set to be crucial evaluation periods for the Chiefs as they navigate their roster in the face of adversity.