As the 2025 NFL season winds down, the Kansas City Chiefs are clearly searching for answers at the quarterback position. Recently, Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid signed six players from the practice squad to the active roster, signaling a push to improve depth wherever possible. But Reid’s bigger focus appears to be under center. 

According to the NFL’s personnel notice for December 29, the Chiefs recently hosted 13 tryout players. Two of them were quarterbacks – Jordan McCloud and Austin Reed. While neither name jumps off the page, Andy Reid could bring one of them onto the practice squad ahead of the Week 18 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Still, it also feels like a forward-looking move from Reid. After all, the Chiefs are suddenly in a QB limbo.

Chiefs’ star QB Patrick Mahomes has started rehab after undergoing surgery for a torn ACL and LCL that he sustained in Week 14. The season-ending surgery also left doubts about Mahomes’ availability early in the 2026 season. Things worsened when backup Gardner Minshew went down with an injury in Week 16. That chain reaction forced third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun into the starting role in Week 17.

But Oladokun was barely serviceable against the Denver Broncos in the Week 17 game. He completed 13 of 22 passes for just 66 yards and one touchdown as the Chiefs lost 20-13 to the Broncos. So, while Oladokun gets another chance to prove himself in Week 18, Andy Reid clearly felt the need to explore other options by bringing in McCloud and Reed for tryouts.

McCloud brings an intriguing college résumé with experience at Arizona, James Madison, South Florida, and Texas State. Overall in his college career, McCloud recorded 10,135 yards for 88 touchdowns and 38 interceptions. The QB also flashed dual-threat ability, rushing for nearly 986 yards and 20 TDs. Still, despite those numbers, McCloud went undrafted in 2025 and only earned a rookie minicamp tryout with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

Reed’s path in the NFL has been just as winding. As an undrafted free agent from Western Kentucky in 2024, he spent time with the Chicago Bears and saw limited preseason action. During the preseason this year, Reed completed 11 of 17 passes for 107 yards and no TDs. He was then released by the Bears during final cuts this year and never locked down a roster spot anywhere else. 

So, Andy Reid could see some potential in McCloud or Reed and decide to sign them for some needed QB depth in the Chiefs’ roster. But let’s not forget that the Chiefs also recently signed QB Shane Buechele from the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad. While Buchele spent some parts of the 2021 and 2022 seasons with the Chiefs, he absorbed Reid’s system before moving to Buffalo.

Later, Buechele carved out a quiet but meaningful role in Buffalo. He emerged as the Bills’ No. 3 QB behind Josh Allen and Mitchell Trubisky. So, while Buechele lacks regular-season experience, he has prior exposure to Andy Reid’s offense. And that familiarity matters, especially as the Chiefs continue to shuffle their roster amid uncertainty surrounding Patrick Mahomes’ injury.

Andy Reid provides an update on Patrick Mahomes’ recovery plans

As the Chiefs prepare for their final regular-season game, Patrick Mahomes has officially begun his rehabilitation process. Still, last week, Mahomes was spotted at Arrowhead supporting his team as they faced their division rivals Broncos. But recently, Andy Reid confirmed that Mahomes will not travel with the team to Las Vegas for another divisional matchup.

“Patrick Mahomes is in the building doing rehab,” Andy Reid told reporters. “He’s spent a lot of hours doing it, he’s attacking it. He won’t make the trip to Vegas.” 

Reid’s decision comes as little surprise. The Chiefs were eliminated from playoff contention with three games still left on the schedule, making Mahomes’ recovery the clear priority. The Chiefs will enter Week 18 with a 6-10 record, leaving little incentive to rush their franchise QB back into team activities.

However, despite missing time with an injury, Mahomes has delivered a productive season. He recorded 3,587 passing yards for 22 TDs and a 62.7 completion percentage. Even so, the Chiefs are set to close the year with their worst record since Mahomes became the starter, underscoring how drastically things unraveled in 2025. So, with Mahomes’ availability for the start of next season still uncertain, Andy Reid has already begun laying the groundwork for a reset. 

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