The Kansas City Chiefs have a clear concern when it comes to a lack of depth at the tight end position. Travis Kelce is an undeniable force and finished as the team's leading receiver a season ago with 851 yards. However, there is room to wonder if Kansas City is going to want to protect Kelce, saving the grizzled vet's best moments for when the season matters most.
Noah Gray, who is coming off his worst season on the Chiefs, put up the lowest catch percentage of his career (58.8%) and mustered only 178 receiving yards and zero touchdowns. The rest of the tight ends on the squad leave much to be desired, with the likes of Jared Wiley and Jake Briningstool, among others, vying for any snaps they can get.
Bringing us to current free agent and former Miami Dolphins tight end, Darren Waller. He returned from a short-lived retirement in the 2025 season with 283 receiving yards and six touchdowns in a struggling Miami offense. Turn back the clock all the way to the 2020 season, and Waller was an excellent target for the Las Vegas Raiders and damaged defenses in the open field at a hulking 6'6", 240 lbs.
The former Pro-Bowl tight end could be a legit red-zone target for Patrick Mahomes
Looking at Kansas City's current depth at the position, there isn't one name that jumps off the depth chart as a clear breakout option. Wiley, Briningstool, Tre Watson, and Mason Pline are current noteworthy names competing for the third tight end role behind Kelce and Gray. This makes it clear that there is no downside to bringing in Waller and seeing if there is any chemistry within Andy Reid's offense.
Waller is a big-bodied frame, and while he is certainly not in his prime, he still has the ability to create mismatches. With the elite ability of Patrick Mahomes to capitalize on any advantage, there is no question that Waller could be utilized as a threat in scoring situations and take some level of pressure off Kelce.
There really isn't a downside to a signing that can easily be removed from Kansas City's cap if it is deemed a mistake. Waller has remained a free agent for much of the 2026 offseason, making it clear that any contract will be a veteran deal with an easy out for any team that opts to sign Waller.
Considering the questions around Kansas City's depth at receiver, it would be a possible offensive boost as well, tossing another wildcard in that could prove to be a reliable veteran for Mahomes.
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