Each QB to play quarter

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs Coach Andy Reid plans to give each of his quarterbacks a full quarter Friday night against the San Francisco 49ers in their preseason opener.

That means Alex Smith will start and veteran backup Tyler Bray will get the second quarter, while firstround draft pick Patrick Mahomes II will start the second half.

It’s arguably the most anticipated preseason debut by a Chiefs rookie since 1983, which also was the last time Kansas City spent a first- round draft pick on a quarterback.

Asked what he wants to see out of his young signal caller, Reid replied: “I’d tell you this with everyone: execute. Obviously the quarterbacks have a little more responsibility with all the calls and so on, but the main thing is to execute.”

Reid said most of the starters would play the first quarter alongside Smith, while the backups on the depth chart this week will have Bray under center. So whatever the outcome for Mahomes is Friday night, it must be examined through the prism of working with third- team players.

Reid was reticent Tuesday following the Chiefs’ final open practice of the week to put too much stock in a single preseason game. He instead will lump the performances in a game setting along with what he’s seen out of practice and the meeting rooms, and begin deliberating with his coaching staff on what will ultimately comprise his 53- man roster.

With changes to the cutdown rules, he’ll also have three more games to examine.

“The first preseason game, everyone has an opportunity to play. After that, it’s not guaranteed,” Reid said. “That kind of stuff has never changed. The thing you don’t want to do is give another team, if possible, a good player. You want to make sure you do as thorough an evaluation as you can.”