Kansas City Chiefs: Tight end needs to be point of emphasis this offseason
The Kansas City Chiefs have arguably the best tight end in the league on their roster right now, but the depth behind Travis Kelce is non-existent. Tight end has to be addressed in the offseason.
The Kansas City Chiefs certainly struck gold when they drafted Travis Kelce in the third round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He’s gone for over 1,000 yards the last three seasons and continues to get better and better at his position.
Behind Kelce on the depth chart, however, is next to nothing and that’s a problem for the Chiefs.
Demetrius Harris has been Kelce’s main backup over the years, but he’s hitting free agency in March. With the lack of productivity and the legal issues last offseason, the chances of Harris coming back to Kansas City probably aren’t high.
More from Kansas City Chiefs
- How to Bet on the Chiefs vs. Cardinals in NFL Preseason Week 2
- The 3 Most Intriguing Games on the Chiefs’ Schedule
- DraftKings + FanDuel Kansas Promos: INSTANT $150 Bonus Plus Two Chances to Win!
- Fan-Favorite Locks Up Chiefs Roster Spot With Stellar Preseason Performance
- DraftKings NFL Kansas Promo: Bet $5 on Chiefs vs. Saints, Win $150 Bonus!
The only other tight end on the active roster during the playoffs was Deon Yelder, a rookie out of Western Kentucky. They also have rookie David Wells (of San Diego State) on the practice squad. Yelder appeared in just three games last season and Wells remained on the practice squad throughout his rookie tenure.
In other words, the Kansas City Chiefs need to add a tight end or two (or three) during free agency and through the draft. Yes, they need to be mainly focusing on adding defensive talent, but they can’t continue to solely rely on Kelce at tight end.
Hot. Four Chiefs to Move on From this Offseason. light
What if Kelce were to get injured? The Chiefs would be in deep do-do if that occurred because they have no other talent at the position.
Some of the realistic names the Chiefs could add in free agency would be Marcedes Lewis, Luke Willson, Richard Rodgers, or maybe even bring back James O’Shaughnessy, who the Chiefs selected in the fifth round of the 2015 draft.
They could also opt to go with some younger names like Geoff Swaim or Tyler Kroft, but those would be a little more expensive. The Chiefs aren’t getting a big timer like Jared Cook or Jesse James due to already having Kelce in their ranks, so we can cross those guys off the list.
As for in the draft, the Chiefs wouldn’t go after a tight end until Day 3 more than likely. By that point, they could potentially land prospects like Josh Oliver (San Jose State), Dax Raymond (Utah State), or Drew Sample (Washington). Those would be a few names that could still be hanging around by the fourth round.
Next. Five Best Tight Ends in Chiefs History. dark
One thing is for sure, and that’s that the Kansas City Chiefs HAVE to add a few tight ends this offseason. Travis Kelce can’t continue to be the only reliable option at the position.