The Chiefs are continuing to invest in the quarterback position, beyond Alex Smith.
Backup Tyler Bray has agreed to a two-year, $1.925 million contract extension through 2017, Field Yates of ESPN reports. Although the deal contains no guarantees, it’s a great deal for Bray in one respect: The Chiefs are agreeing to pay Bray’s $510,000 salary this year, even though Bray is on the non-football injury list because he tore his ACL this offseason. Teams are under no obligation to pay players who suffer non-football injuries, but the Chiefs think enough of Bray’s potential that they’re willing to pay him as part of a longer deal to keep him in the fold.
Kansas City isn’t shy about spending money on backup quarterbacks. No. 2 quarterback Chase Daniel costs $4.8 million this year, making him the second-most expensive backup quarterback in the NFL, second only to Washington’s Robert Griffin III. The Chiefs are also slated to pay Aaron Murray $563,000 this year, in addition to the $15.6 million Smith will count against their cap.
Although he hasn’t gotten on the field in the NFL yet, Bray is a talented quarterback who showed off a good arm in his college career at Tennessee. Right now he’s buried on the depth chart, but if he eventually becomes the starter in Kansas City, this will look like a great deal for the team.