The Kansas City Chiefs have decided to bring back a familiar face at a position that might undergo a considerable youth movement. That was also the narrative the last time they signed Tre Watson.
The Chiefs added Watson on a reserve/futures deal on Monday, which brings back the second-year tight end for another run at a roster, with a longer runway than ever before. The opportunity might also be a bit more realistic this time around.
Watson is a former Texas A&M tight end who earned a look from the Chiefs after going unselected in the 2025 NFL Draft. That he was passed over wasn't all that surprising given the lack of production or emphasis within the Aggies' offense in '24, when he posted 21 catches for 280 yards and 1 touchdown. Even over four full seasons, which included three years at Fresno State before transferring to College Station, the total sum was 77 catches for 872 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Last spring, Watson was understandably overshadowed by fellow undrafted signee Jake Briningstool, who broke records for his production at the position at Clemson. Both players were fighting for playing time at a crowded position. Briningstool is still around, so Watson has his work cut out just to get noticed from the fringes, but at least the competitive core might be changing.
The Chiefs are giving Tre Watson another extended look as looming roster turnover could finally open a realistic path forward.
Travis Kelce was already set to return by the time Watson arrived last May after flirting with the idea of retirement following the Chiefs' Super Bowl LIV loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Noah Gray remained under contract through the 2026 season. Jared Wiley was returning from a rookie campaign halted by injury. Robert Tonyan was signed to a one-year deal in free agency to provide further depth and to give the Chiefs a better blocker in the role. The Chiefs already looked set at tight end before ever adding a prospect to the depth chart, which made things tough for rookie free agents like Watson and Briningstool.
Some of that might be changing, however. Kelce is once again wondering whether or not he will return for another year. Gray is coming into a contract season. Wiley still has yet to make his mark, and after two years, his foothold on a roster spot is weaker than ever. Tonyan is scheduled to hit free agency. If anything, the Chiefs are likely going to be laying the foundation for the future at the position this offseason with one or more moves.
That Watson managed to stick around through training camp with the Chiefs was already an achievement was a roster long shot, but he also snuck through onto the practice squad following the roster cuts deadline in late August. From there, the Chiefs kept him around and have now asked him to join the 90-man roster this spring to give him a full offseason with the team. While Watson has yet to appear in an NFL game, he can take confidence that the Chiefs clearly like what they see in his potential.