Grading the KC Chiefs position groups before the 2023 NFL Draft

Tight Ends: A

As Shannon Sharpe recently pointed out, Kelce is quite simply the best tight end the NFL has ever seen. Having come off his 7th consecutive season with at least a thousand yards, it’s hard to argue his dominance and consistent production in this offense, as he once again led the Chiefs in receiving yards. However, the only reason this position group isn’t an A+ is due to Kelce’s increased age. Though the 33-year-old didn’t miss a beat during last year’s Super Bowl campaign, fans with a discerning eye might have noticed that Reid kept would sporadically keep Kelce on the sidelines for load management to keep him fresh throughout the season. As for this coming season though, Kelce is still playing at an elite level and will prove to be a matchup nightmare for any poor soul tasked with guarding him.

Behind Kelce, the tight end room is filled with some familiar faces who provide excellent depth. Blake Bell has resigned and is gearing up for his fourth season with KC. He is one of the best blocking tight ends in the league making him a key contributor in heavy packages. Noah Gray enters his third year with the team and has proved to be a sure-handed receiving threat. Likewise, Jody Fortson is also getting ready for his third year as a Chief. Fortson has recently been vocal about not being satisfied with his resume and has made it clear he sees himself as a player with much more to show. His size makes him a mismatch in the Red Zone and hopefully, this will be the year where he becomes a more consistent contributor on the offense.

The group is rounded off with Matt Bushman and Kendall Blanton who aren’t expected to be major contributors but provide some additional depth to an already deep tight end room. In terms of the upcoming season, the Chiefs’ tight end group is in the best shape of any team in the league. They could always sign some new young talent, but this group should be filled out and ready to roll with who they have.