The NFL Draft is a month away, and the Kansas City Chiefs are already thinking about what comes next at tight end. Travis Kelce briefly hit the open market, and the retirement talk grew again. Still, Kelce is set to return for the 2026 season on a one-year deal worth $12 million, with a maximum value of $15 million. That keeps him in Kansas City for now, per talkSPORTS. It also gives the Chiefs time to plan for life after him.
That future is starting to take shape. The Chiefs do not want to wait until Kelce is gone to find his replacement. They know the position needs help.
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What about Noah Gray? he is still on the roster, but his 2025 season did not move the needle much. He caught only 21 passes for 178 yards and did not score a touchdown. Jared Wiley has also not made a major impact. So the Chiefs are expected to look hard at the draft, per fansided.
One name that came up is Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq. At 6-foot-3, he has the size and athletic profile that fits what Kansas City may want next. In 2025, he posted 51 receptions for 560 yards and eight touchdowns, while averaging 11.0 yards per catch. Those numbers show he can be a steady receiving threat and a useful red-zone target.
“So, should Brett Veach and Andy Reid, a former [Green Bay] Packers tight end coach, view Sadiq as a top-9 prospect in this draft, think of the possibilities – pure night-terrors for opponent coordinators,” per SI.
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His Combine performance only raised his stock. He ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash, posted a 43.5-inch vertical jump, and showed the kind of movement that fits an Andy Reid offense. He can run a full route tree, separate from defenders, and work as a pass catcher in space.
For the Chiefs, Kelce remains the present. Sadiq could be the future. The draft may be where Kansas City starts that transition.
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