Travis Kelce, Brock Bowers Blocking Oronde Gadsden in AFC West For Now

A budding Chargers star is starting to make a name for himself despite some heavyweights in the AFC West.

Oronde Gadsden | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Travis Kelce. Brock Bowers. Oronde Gadsden?

The Los Angeles Chargers hope they have one of the next great tight ends from the AFC West with Gadsden. 

But not that it should come as any surprise, Chargers faithful are going to have to wait to see their breakout tight end actually chart on major offseason lists. 

Gadsden is certainly on his way. The fifth-round pick last year matched all of the training camp hype fans gave him by eventually becoming one of star quarterback Justin Herbert’s favorite targets in the base offense. 

Over 15 games while fighting for playing time and adapting to the pros as a blocker, Gadsden caught 49 of his 69 targets for 664 yards, averaging 13.6 yards per catch with three touchdowns. 

One can only imagine the damage the 6’5” Gadsden can do as a second-year player in a Mike McDaniel offense while Herbert potentially reaches new heights of his own. 

For now, though, rankings remain unimpressed. 

Bowers, Kelce chart on rankings while Gadsden goes overlooked

Oronde Gadsden | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Onlookers know the deal. It’s player-rankings time ahead of training camp. 

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler just dropped his annual top 10 tight ends list after talking to NFL personnel around the league. 

Tops on the list is Brock Bowers of the Las Vegas Raiders. No shock there. More surprising is Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs showing up at No. 10, with one NFL personnel telling Fowler that Kelce is “still the ageless wonder at the position.”

Chargers fans will roll their eyes at that. But how about this: Gadsden at least gets his name mentioned in the “also receiving votes" section.

So, Gadsden is on the fringe of making the list, anyway. That’s saying something when at least some NFL personnel around the league have already started to take notice of his game and what he projects to be able to do in future years. 

Keep in mind that the Chargers adding Charlie Kolar and David Njoku at tight end this offseason won’t cripple Gadsden’s chances to put up big numbers. Those arrivals are more about unlocking more 12 personnel and other packages. If anything, it should help Gadsden shine even more in a varied McDaniel attack. 

Just charting on a top 10 list would be a start for Gadsden. But it’s also fair enough to wonder just how high he might be able to climb when considering all the factors around his rookie year and what projects to be ahead for the offense.

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