Tyler Bray To Compete For Chiefs’ Backup Quarterback Job?

Aug 29, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Tyler Bray (9) throws a pass during the second half of the game against the Green Bay Packers at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 30-8. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

There’s little doubt that former Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Tyler Bray has the tools to one day be a starter in the NFL.

He had a historically productive final collegiate season at Tennessee, but went undrafted after declaring for the draft as a junior due to his off-the-field issues.

Andy Reid, who has a positive history with maligned quarterbacks, and the Kansas City Chiefs decided to take a chance on Bray and he was able to beat out Ricky Stanzi for the third quarterback job in training camp.

Now Bray may be competing for the backup job to starter Alex Smith, at least according to Adam Teicher, who covers the Chiefs for ESPN.com.

Teicher believes the Chiefs would be wise to make the backup job an open competition between incumbent backup Chase Daniel and Bray.

From ESPN.com

"Going to be interesting to see how the backup quarterback situation resolves itself. It’s in the Chiefs’ best interest to make that an open competition between Chase Daniel and Tyler Bray and go with the one they think is best. Bray has a ton of skill. He probably has more ability to make all the necessary throws than either Alex Smith or Daniel. But Daniel has a lot of intangibles, not to mention the experience of having prepared himself week after week for several years now to be ready to play at a moment’s notice."

Bray, as Teicher alludes to, has more upside than Daniel and probably even Alex Smith. The former Vol has a cannon for an arm and has impressed everyone in the Chiefs organization since he arrived with the way he carries himself. Andy Reid went as far as to say Bray “handled himself like a man, not a young boy” this past season.

Sitting on the bench for a couple of years is absolutely the best thing for Tyler Bray at this point. He has a chance to erase his reputation as an immature player that tosses beer bottles from balconies, but he’ll have to continue to put in the work. That’s something he wasn’t willing to do at Tennessee.