Chiefs Sign Veteran Pass-Catcher on Second Day of Free Agency

Monday was a busy day around the NFL as this year's free agency tampering period began. The Kansas City Chiefs were relatively quiet after re-signing key defensive pieces last week, however, that changed on Tuesday when they added another weapong to Patrick Mahomes' arsenal.

NFL insider Adam Schefter reports that the Chiefs are signing tight end Irv Smith Jr. to a one-year contract. The 25-year-old pass-catcher spent the first three seasons of his career with the Minnesota Vikings before joining the Cincinnati Bengals for the 2023 campaign.

Chiefs News: Kansas City Signs TE Irv Smith Jr.

It isn't shocking to see the Chiefs adding another tight end to the mix. Blake Bell became a free agent this offseason, leaving Travis Kelce — who isn't getting any younger — and Noah Gray as Kansas City's only viable TE options.

Smith heads to the Chiefs hoping to turn his career around. A former 2019 second-round pick by the Vikings, the veteran TE hasn't met the expectations that come with being a Day 2 selection. He's yet to hit the 400-yard mark in four seasons, failing to even reach 200 yards in the last two years.

Time will tell if playing with Mahomes helps Smith rebound from last year's abysmal performance. In 12 games (6 starts) with the Bengals, the former Crimson Tide TE posted career lows in receptions (18), receiving yards (115), TDs (1), and passer rating when targeted (75.0). He also tallied a personal-worst offensive grade of 44.2 on Pro Football Focus.

If anything, it's possible that Smith was brought in to challenge Gray for the TE2 spot, potentially bringing out the best of the ex-Blue Devil in the process.

Hopefully, a winning environment helps bring out the best that Smith has to offer. The Chiefs have one of the most dynamic offenses in the league and Mahomes is good enough to turn a nobody into somebody. If he can't do the same for Smith, it'll be clear that the New Orleans native doesn't have much of an NFL future.

In the meantime, the Chiefs' chances of three-peating are fairly promising. Kansas City currently holds the second-best odds to win Super Bowl LIX on FanDuel Sportsbook as free agency continues.

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