Chiefs' Noah Gray Must Have a Higher Workload Than Ever

The Kansas City Chiefs must figure out their tight end position if they want to continue to be the juggernaut they have been in the NFL. For the 12th year, Travis Kelce will be suiting up and remaining their starting tight end.

However, it looks like his age may be starting to catch up with him a little bit. He's coming off of his worst statistical season ever in his career. In 2024, he had just 823 yards with three touchdowns, a career low in both categories. He also had two fumbles, and overall, his performance was less than to be desired.

It's unusual to see such a dominant player completely give up on some plays, but Kelce's lack of urgency reared its ugly head plenty of times last season. The Chiefs have a lot of tight ends on their roster and even spent a fourth-round pick last year on Jared Wiley.

Even if their future HOF tight end isn't showing as much effort as he once did, they have players that can step up in their offense to take his place. I think the most likely candidate is Noah Gray, their backup tight end.

Not only is he the next person up on the depth chart, but he's coming off of the best year of his career. Last year, he had 437 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged a first down each time Patrick Mahomes targeted him, and with Kelce declining, I expect his targets to increase even more next year.

They should increase. The Chiefs have been active in free agency, but one thing that's remained dormant for them thus far has been their wide receiver room. They're seemingly locked into their wide receiver core and believe their personnel can lead to a successful passing attack.

To be frank, their passing attack was always gonna find success with Mahomes throwing the ball, but they're confident the players they've surrounded him with can do the most with the opportunities they've been given.

The connection between Kelce and Mahomes is undeniable, and Kelce always finds a way to find a soft spot in opposing defenses. However, I think Gray might have more upside as a receiver in their offensive scheme.

If the Chiefs are serious about extending their dynasty, this next season may be the perfect opportunity to seamlessly replace a declining tight end with one that projects upwards. Another way they can help rebound past their Super Bowl loss is by targeting an AFC rival or looking for some other replacements in key positions through the draft.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @KCChiefsOnSI and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.