One of the more interesting offseason decisions awaiting the Kansas City Chiefs is the future of the tight end position. Travis Kelce sounds like he's ready for retirement with quarterback Patrick Mahomes' 2026 status up in the air, and losing the star TE would be a major blow to the Chiefs' aerial attack, regardless of who's under center.
If this is how the offseason plays out, it would leave the Chiefs with Noah Gray as the only notable tight end rostered. Gray has regressed considerably this season, and left Kansas City has every reason to turn the page and start fresh at the position, emphasizing how more help is needed.
Fortunately, there's a TE on the Chiefs' practice squad who might be ready to step up if he's given a chance down the stretch.
Chiefs Auditioning Tre Watson Is Crucial Down the Stretch
The door could be open in the season's final three games to get a look at undrafted rookie tight end Tre Watson. The Texas A&M product is currently on the practice squad with all of his elevations remaining and has yet to make his debut. There simply is no better time for the Chiefs to fully evaluate the position and give Watson his chance to make an impression ahead of the 2026 offseason.
The final trio of games should be used only for finding out exactly what you have in your current depth and who could factor into next season. Kelce can still start and continue to finish strong; however, Reid & Co. should hand some of Gray's snaps to Watson, giving the rookie a chance over the season's final three weeks.
Watson is a walking mismatch at 6'5" and 250 lbs, and would be a fun wrinkle to offer new starting quarterback Gardner Minshew. The rookie pass-catcher spent three seasons at Fresno State before joining the Aggies in 2024, finishing his collegiate run with 872 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 77 catches. He was never the best at his position, hence why he went undrafted, but his 13.3 yards per catch as a senior displayed some big-play potential.
On top of that, the experience he has with an SEC program like Texas A&M, combined with his solid frame make it worth at least worth a Week 16 elevation.
Playing Watson 10-15 offensive snaps allows you the chance to evaluate him as a blocker and route-runner, seeing if there is any chance he can play a future role within the organization. If there is any level of struggle or the tight end looks overmatched, the Chiefs will have lost nothing and gained a clear answer.
Outside of the Las Vegas Raiders, the Chiefs' other remaining foes — the Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos — offer TE-friendly matchups. Despite having one of the NFL's top defenses, the Broncos have allowed the 13th-most catches (79) and seventh-most yards (898) to tight ends, while the Titans' seven TDs allowed to the position are tied for the sixth-most.
Elevating Watson and making backup Robert Tonyan inactive seems the most straightforward move, allowing the Chiefs to lean on Kelce while keeping Gray active if Watson isn't ready for the moment.
The Chiefs have already proven that having patience with their rookies has paid off this season, and now it's time to see if that applies to Watson, too.