2. Travis Kelce needs to become a part-time player.
I loved having Travis Kelce back on the field against the Jaguars. The offense, while still not flowing smoothly, at least looked smoother with him on the field. But, with age and injury concerns, the Chiefs need to protect him from himself.
If Reid is the offensive mind and Mahomes is the offensive motor, then Kelce is the soul of the Kansas City offense. His connection with Mahomes has undeniably been integral to two Super Bowl wins in four years. The Chiefs will lean heavily on Kelce if they want to reach a third this season, but he needs to be available and healthy for that to happen.
Just a small example of Mahomes and Kelce playing football differently than everyone else.
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) September 18, 2023
The LB expands (he actually plays this well) and Kelce just settles in the void.
This isn’t a play called in the huddle. It’s just them having a connection pic.twitter.com/aSco9COsot
Travis Kelce played in 64% of the offensive snaps against the Jaguars, far behind his 80% average last season. His snap percentages have steadily declined since 2018, likely helping preserve his body. At age 34, an injury is magnified. One that Kelce could push through five years ago should require him to take a longer recovery period now.
"He battled through the thing and made some big catches for us," Reid said. "And he made it through the game after missing the first one. I’m sure his leg probably didn’t feel 100, but he’s not going to let you know that. He’s going to work through it, and that’s what he did."
Working through it shows his dedication and determination. But I would rather see Kelce be fresh and available when the team needs him than see him push through and potentially worsen his condition. Noah Gray and Blake Bell should be getting the lion's share of work in 12 personnel, especially on running downs.
This is not a shot at his blocking abilities but rather at decreasing injury probabilities and bodily wear and tear. How would you react if Kelce went down for the year while blocking for a Clyde Edwards-Helaire two-yard gain? Put that scenario in your head. I would rather have him when Mahomes needs him the most than deal with the consequences of not having him.