5 Chiefs on the Bubble Ahead of 2024 Training Camp

2. Irv Smith Jr., TE

Speaking of potentially cut pass-catchers, Irv Smith Jr.'s future in Kansas City might not be as safe as he thinks.

Looking to add more depth behind Travis Kelce, the Chiefs signed Smith to a one-year deal earlier this offseason. The veteran tight end has tallied nearly 1,000 receiving yards with 10 TDs across four seasons between the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals, so the hope was that he could provide a supporting role alongside Kelce and Noah Gray.

Smith's outlook changed at the 2024 NFL Draft, though. The Chiefs used this year's 131st overall selection on former TCU TE Jared Wiley, who has all the tools to become Kelce's successor. After all, the Horned Frogs already ran schemes as the Chiefs, resulting in Wiley turned 71 catches into 765 yards and 12 TDs across the last two seasons.

With Wiley's arrival to the organization, Smith is projected to be the TE4 on the depth charts and it's hard to seem him rising any higher. On top of the Chiefs clearly being high on their rookie tight end, Kelce won't lose his top spot while Gray already has more chemistry than Mahomes.

Besides, there's a financial incentive to cut the ex-Alabama product. The Chiefs can save either $768,500 by cutting him or $1.1 million with a trade.