Kansas City Chiefs: Grading each offensive position in 2019

Tight End

Much like the quarterback position, the Kansas City Chiefs have a superstar at tight end. Unlike quarterback, though, the Chiefs have very little behind Travis Kelce.

Before 2018, Kelce was already a bona fide star. But he exploded last season, catching 103 passes for 1,336 yards and ten touchdowns, all career highs for the former third-round pick out of Cincinnati. For the fourth straight season, he made the Pro Bowl, and for the second time in three years, he made All-Pro.

He’s now played in at least 15 games in every season but his rookie year, back in 2013 in which he missed all but one game due to injury.

https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1112391751451303936

…which is important, because he turns 30 in October. He needs to keep the durability up because the Chiefs, for some reason, continue to fail to address depth at the tight end position.

Gone is Demetrius Harris (Browns), who, while not really good, is at least a serviceable backup. The tight ends currently on the roster besides Kelce are Blake Bell, David Wells, Deon Yelder, and Nick Keizer.

That’s less Murderer’s Row and more Suicide Squad.

Grade: A-

Does it matter who backs up Kelce? As long as he’s not injured and his replacement plays extremely sparingly, no, it doesn’t.

The Chiefs had opportunities to add a tight end in the draft, and passed. There remain veteran tight ends on the market who used to start, but again the Chiefs have passed in favor of, well, warm bodies.

Kelce alone is an A+. The lack of depth brings down the overall grade a couple of notches.