Breaking Down The Chiefs' Signing Of Shea Patterson
Former Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson was a long shot to be drafted last weekend and that's how it played out. It wasn't surprising but what ensued after the draft, was. As other undrafted players around the country were being snapped up as free agents, Patterson sat by a silent phone.
Then yesterday, it was announced that Patterson had signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. Joshua Brisco of Arrowhead Report covered the Patterson signing and admitted that it occurred with a bit more buzz than most undrafted quarterbacks.
"Patterson definitely got some run on Chiefs Twitter when the signing was reported," Brisco said. "It was partially because he's a decently known name and was one of the top remaining UDFAs, but also in part because so many fans were so on board with the signing of Jordan Ta'amu, so this felt like a sort of announcement of an oncoming quarterback competition."
Obviously the Chiefs are the defending Super Bowl champs and have a superstar in Patrick Mahomes and Mr. Reliable himself as a backup quarterback in Chad Henne. Throw in the recent signing of Ta'amu and the Patterson signing seems a bit odd. Brisco explained his thoughts upon hearing the news.
"I wasn't exactly surprised by the timing, but I did find it a bit interesting," Brisco said. "I'm not sure if that's an indictment on their interest levels in Patterson or if it was a product of negotiations, Patterson looking for other opportunities or something else entirely."
With Patterson now signed, it's about trying to make the team. The odds are pretty stacked against him, but Brisco explains why it's not an impossibility.
"I think Ta'amu is the favorite to land the QB3 job behind Patrick Mahomes and Chad Henne, but Andy Reid has surprised me with his QB3 choices before," Brisco explained. "If Patterson shows a better command of the offense than Ta'amu through the offseason and whatever form of training camp the Chiefs have, I do think he has a legitimate chance, but he's starting in fourth."
It would be a surprise if Patterson made the team but stranger things happen in the NFL and it's not like Patterson isn't talented. Brisco knew more about Patterson than most undrafted quarterbacks and has seen what a lot of Michigan has seen — inconsitency.
"Patterson's career arc so far is interesting," Brisco said. "If any coach is going to make him look more like the super-highly-recruited quarterback he was in high school and give him an Alex Smith-esque opportunity to reset his ceiling, it's Andy Reid. In that way, maybe Patterson catches on."
It's fun to envision Patterson in a Chiefs uniform, but the public may never actually see it. It's going to be interesting to see how training camp goes and if the season is affected at all. Maybe the start will be later, maybe it'll be in a different location from normal, but Patterson doesn't care. He has a seat at the table and that's all that matters right now.
