6 Chiefs on Thin Ice Following the NFL Draft
By Joe Summers
3. Noah Gray - TE
Noah Gray has become a reliable weapon for Patrick Mahomes as Travis Kelce's primary backup over the last few years, but he's entering the last year of his contract and Kansas City just drafted promising receiving tight end Jared Wiley to serve as Kelce's understudy.
A 2021 fifth-round pick, Gray had a career-high 305 receiving yards last year with a pair of TDs and caught eight passes throughout the playoff run. He's a solid No. 2 option at the position with a keen understanding of Andy Reid's offensive scheme, though the writing is on the wall regarding his future unless Wiley quickly proves to be a bust.
While Blake Bell is still a free agent and unlikely to return, the Chiefs signed pass-catching threat Irv Smith Jr. in the offseason. Between Smith Jr. and Wiley, Gray has ample competition moving forward.
#Chiefs GM Brett Veach mentioned that TE Jared Wiley is "interchangeable" with TEs Travis Kelce and Noah Gray. Sounds as if finding a player who could spell both at times was the goal.
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) April 29, 2024
Gray is still Kelce's backup for the time being. I don't expect Wiley to overtake Gray immediately, but he could prove to be a more versatile and dangerous weapon once the playoffs roll around.
If Wiley didn't show so much promise as a long-term Kelce replacement, I'd be more confident that Gray gets an extension after this year. Perhaps he still does, though he's on thin ice nonetheless given the Chiefs' moves over the last couple of months.