Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chad Henne (4) against the San Francisco 49ers during an NFL preseason football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Aug. 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)(Jed Jacobsohn | AP)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have agreed to a $2 million contract with quarterback Chad Henne, keeping their longtime backup to Patrick Mahomes in the fold for next season, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the contract had yet to be signed.
The 36-year-old Henne has spent four seasons with the Chiefs, appearing in eight regular-season games with one start while providing a veteran voice in their quarterback room. Henne was drafted by the Dolphins in the second round in 2008, which was about when Mahomes was beginning to sling the ball around junior high fields.
While Henne has played relatively few snaps in Kansas City, some have proven to be crucial. The biggest came Jan. 17, 2021, when he calmly threw a fourth-down pass to Tyreek Hill to convert a first down near midfield in the waning minutes of a 22-17 victory over the Browns in the divisional round of the playoffs at Arrowhead Stadium.
Henne has appeared in 75 games with 54 starts over the course of his 13-year career, throwing for more than 13,000 yards with 60 touchdown passes. That includes his start with the Dolphins and five years in Jacksonville.
Earlier this week, the Chiefs agreed to a three-year, $31.5 million contract with safety Justin Reid, a deal expected to be signed soon following the start of the new league year Wednesday. That contract includes $20 million in guarantees, a person familiar with the terms told AP on condition of anonymity because it was pending a physical.
The 25-year-old Reid was a third-round pick of Houston in the 2018 draft and has been one of the few solid parts of the struggling Texans over the past four seasons. He has started 53 of 57 games, including 13 last season, when he made 66 tackles with four passes defensed and a forced fumble.
His deal with Kansas City signaled the end of Tyrann Mathieu’s time with the club. The three-time All-Pro’s contract expired after last season, and the Chiefs chose to go with a younger option who could have his best years ahead of him.
The cash-strapped Chiefs, who earlier put the franchise tag on left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., freed up some space Tuesday when they managed to restructure the contract of pass rusher Frank Clark. His salary cap hit would have been a prohibitive $26.3 million this season and $27.8 million in 2023, but the new deal is expected to save at least $11 million this season.
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