TIGHT END
When talking about quarterback, it was easy to shine the full spotlight on the historic starter and give a casual nod to anyone else on the depth chart. What's interesting about the tight end position for the Chiefs is that the team employs a starter who is also bound for the hallowed halls in Canton, Ohio, but they also boast a deep room of talented tight ends who deserve some of the spotlight as well.
Of course any discussion of the Chiefs' strength at tight end should begin with Travis Kelce, a man who enters this next season having made eight consecutive Pro Bowls. Before the '22 campaign, Kelce had already extended his NFL record for consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons to six before he put up career highs in a Super Bowl winning year, including catches (110) and touchdowns (12). Despite the fact that he's well into his thirties, Kelce is a man on fire who looks ready to play another five years or more.
Beyond Kelce, the Chiefs also have some impressive players including younger talents like Noah Gray and Jody Fortson. The former was a fifth-round pick out of Duke who has taken over the TE2 spot and will also serve as a fullback in 2023. With great hands and a killer work ethic, Gray has steadily rounded out his game for the Chiefs in his first two years in the league.
As for Fortson, he remains an intriguing end zone target whose size and separation could really make K.C.'s offense bloom if he can prove he's healthy after missing significant time last year. In years past, Fortson looked like a red zone mismatch on a team with multiple weapons, and the Chiefs are hoping he can return to form again in a year where tight end might be featured more than ever.
And let's not forget about the veteran presence of Blake Bell, who is the best blocker in the group. The Belldozer has been brought back yet again, and his excellence in helping to anchor the run game is good enough to demand a rare fourth roster spot.
Tight end is a position of incredible depth and talent led by the best player in the game and followed up by reliable role players who can help in myriad ways—giving further dimension to an offense that's already the best in the NFL.