Chiefs fans should start learning these names now (Kelce won’t play forever)

For more than a decade, Kansas City hasn’t needed to think much about the future of the tight end position. Travis Kelce has simply eliminated the need for contingency planning.

Kelce's been the fulcrum of the offense, the most productive pass-catcher in franchise history, and one of the best tight ends the sport has ever seen. Week 11 against Denver offered yet another reminder of his impact, as he passed Priest Holmes for the most touchdowns in franchise history — an exclamation point on a Hall of Fame résumé that has redefined what a modern tight end can be.

But as much as Kelce continues to fight back the calendar, the reality is inescapable: he’s 36, he’s taken hits for twelve straight seasons, and even the sport’s best eventually yield to time. The Chiefs don’t need to panic, but they do need to prepare.

The depth behind Kelce over the years has been solid but unspectacular. Noah Gray and Blake Bell have provided value in rotational roles, and Kansas City did invest in Jared Wiley out of TCU (fourth round in 2024) — a young, long, physical player who still has developmental upside — yet none of them profile as long-term featured weapons.

Looking ahead to next spring and the 2026 NFL Draft, however, Chiefs fans should begin familiarizing themselves with a few names who do have the profile to eventually assume that mantle.

While predicting Kansas City’s exact plan of attack remains up for debate, the types of players they could target — and the caliber of tight ends projected near the top of the class — offer a clear blueprint of what the post-Kelce era could look like.

Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

The headliner is Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq, a prototype for the modern tight end. At 6-foot-3, 245 pounds with a rocked-up frame, Sadiq looks like the first guy you’d pick in a schoolyard draft — explosive, strong, fluid, and dynamic after the catch.

He’s a true three-level threat who can win up the seam, separate against man coverage, break tackles, and block with real leverage and intensity. He isn’t just athletic; he’s polished.

In Kansas City’s offense, his skill set would feel like cheating. Paired with the vertical speed of Rashee Rice, Hollywood Brown, Xavier Worthy, and Tyquan Thornton — with the potential emergence of Brashard Smith heading into 2026 — Sadiq would be a luxury addition who elevates the ceiling of the entire unit.

If he’s on the board when Kansas City selects, he’d instantly become one of the most seamless offensive fits in the class.

Max Klare, Ohio State

On Day 2, the name to circle is Ohio State’s Klare. Longer and taller than Sadiq at 6-foot-5, 243 pounds, Klare checks every Big Ten tight end box — tough, technically refined, committed as a blocker, and steady as a pass-catcher. His target share in a loaded Buckeye offense hasn’t been massive, but his traits show up every week: sharp zone awareness, soft hands, willingness after the catch, and consistency in contested situations.

He may not have Sadiq’s athletic ceiling, but he’s a plug-and-play TE2 who can grow into a TE1 role. For the Chiefs and HC Andy Reid, he would offer stability, reliability, and long-term value without requiring a first-round investment.

Michael Trigg, Baylor

And then there’s the wildcard, Baylor’s Michael Trigg. Chiefs fans may remember him as the former elite recruit who flashed at USC, then Ole Miss, before finally stabilizing his career in Waco.

His talent has never been the question. At 6-foot-4, 245 pounds with rare explosiveness, elite hands, and natural playmaking instincts, Trigg looks like a future star if the light fully comes on.

In Kansas City, with Patrick Mahomes elevating everyone around him and Reid maximizing mismatches, Trigg could realistically walk in and be an immediate difference-maker.

Setting Up the Post-Kelce Era

Nobody replaces Travis Kelce. You adapt, evolve, and build a new version of the offense in the post-Kelce era. But the 2026 tight end class offers the types of players who can help Kansas City maintain its identity in dynamic, versatile pass-catchers who can keep Mahomes’ prime window wide open.