The Kansas City Chiefs had plenty of roster battles taking place this summer during training camp and preseason but tight end wasn't one of them. The consensus was that the three tight ends included on the roster would be Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, and former fourth-round pick Jared Wiley.
While that was technically the case, journeyman Robert Tonyan put together a preseason campaign that proved impossible to ignore and will ultimately push him onto the 53-man roster. It'll just take a bit of maneuvering by the Chiefs following roster cuts.
In the first two preseason games, Tonyan tallied eight receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown, proving that he can be a nice depth piece on offense.
Robert Tonyan is the clear winner for the Chiefs during preseason
When Tonyan signed with the Chiefs this offseason, it looked like a training camp and preseason body kind of signing since the tight end position seemed pretty clear-cut. However, it became impossible to argue that he hadn't done enough to make the 53-man roster. The Chiefs also had no excuse after having rostered four tight ends before.
Tonyan gives the Chiefs another solid depth piece at tight end, and with Kelce potentially entering the final year of his career, finding options that can work at tight end in a post-Kelce era is ideal. Gray will be the main guy moving forward, but if Tonyan can contribute in a positive manner, that could help him stick around past the 2025 season.
Tonyan went undrafted out of Indiana State in 2017 and eventually made a name for himself with the Green Bay Packers, tallying over 500 yards and 11 touchdowns in the 2020 season. He hasn't been anywhere close to that level since then, but he showed he still has plenty to offer a team like the Chiefs this preseason.
Tonyan might not end up being a massive playmaker for the Chiefs during the regular season but he's absolutely deserving of landing a spot on the 53-man roster for his efforts this preseason.