Tight end is a total toss-up for KC Chiefs

For a brief stretch there, the Kansas City Chiefs were playing a very predictable game at tight end. Each season, it felt as if the same cast of characters comprised of Travis Kelce and his merry men were checking all the requisite roster boxes at that particular position on the depth chart. It also kept the offense moving.

When it comes to overall impact, it's important to note that the primary pillars are still in place. Kelce is going to keep leading "until the wheels fall off" and that gives the Chiefs a primary pass catcher for the overall offense. From there, former fifth-round choice Noah Gray has blossomed into a nice understudy who can move the chains on his own. WIth those two in place, the tight end role is at least predictably solid.

But gone are the days in which the Chiefs will certainly keep up to four tight ends with Jody Fortson and Blake Bell taking up the rest of the active roster spots. On the verge of making their own moves before the roster deadline of Tuesday afternoon, the Chiefs now find themselves having to ask new questions at tight end, which makes it a toss-up for fans trying to project how things will turn out.

Heading into the regular season, it's really impossible to tell how many tight ends the Chiefs will carry in 2023.

The biggest shift in the room for now has been the injury to Jody Fortson, who was placed on injured reserve earlier in the preseason with a shoulder problem. The move to place him on IR means he is unavailable for the rest of the year (given preseason IR rules) and that means the pecking order will change automatically.

From here, it's easy to wonder if the unit will just stay at three then with perhaps Blake Bell taking on more reps. Fortson's ability to provide a nice lengthy target in tight spaces is now gone, but Bell elevates the team's overall blocking and he's got some real fans on the team's coaching staff. But even then, injuries limited him to only 3 games last season and it's important to note that he's 32 years old as of early August. Can the Chiefs rely on him for another year?

The variable here is the emergence of Matt Bushman this preseason as a solid performer who really showed up well when called upon. He was impressive last preseason, too, but a broken clavicle in the final game removed him from any conversation or consideration for making the roster in '22. Knowing he rose to the occasion once more might be enough to elevate him this time.

It's also important to note here that the Chiefs have jettisoned the fullback role that typically takes up an important roster spot, and they've tapped Gray on the shoulder to fill that void in a hybrid role. Does that make him a better blocker and, thus, Bell isn't as necessary? Or does that stretch him further and, thus, more tight ends are needed?

Is Kelce ready for more rest? Can Gray handle more responsibility? Can Bell stay healthy and effective? Is Bushman more than a preseason performer? Does Fortson's injury adjust the team's overall strategy at tight end? It's all a toss-up at this point and we won't be sure what to think until the Chiefs announce their plans on Tuesday.