Noah Gray

Only one team has gone longer since its last 1,000-yard receiver than the Kansas City Chiefs , who last had someone crack 1,000 yards when Travis Kelce got there in 2022. (The Packers haven’t gotten there since Davante Adams in 2021.) No team has gone longer since its last 1,000-yard rusher than the Chiefs, who last had someone pass the threshold when Kareem Hunt did it in 2017. (The Chargers and Saints also had their last 1,000-yard rusher in 2017.) The easy thing to say is that everything disintegrated for Kansas City last year, with the team going from three straight Super Bowl appearances to a 6-11 finish. And of course in a lot of ways that’s true. But also, the team hasn’t actually been an offensive dynamo for a few years now, and it’s been Patrick Mahomes and a very good defense that have carried the team. Now heading into 2026, the team has a flashy new running back, a wide receiver who is healty and eligible, and potential. But does that mean a rebound 2026? Kansas City’s top pass catchers are (in some order) a tight end who turns 37 in October, a wide receiver who it seems is one off-field misstep away from being out of football, and a former first-rounder who only scored one touchdown and 532 yards last year despite playing as the team’s borderline WR1 much of the year. After those three (Travis Kelce, Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy , in order), the next options are guys like Tyquan Thornton , fifth-round rookie Cyrus Allen, backup tight end Noah Gray and Jalen Royals. In short, this team is not flush with pass-catching options, and if Patrick Mahomes can return healthy, someone’s going to have to step up, especially if Kelce really is over the age cliff and/or Rice can’t get his head on right. Royals did essentially nothing as a fourth-round rookie last year, not even seeing a target until he had 2 receptions for 4 yards on 3 targets in Week 18. But he had 1,080 yards and a MWC-leading 15 touchdowns at Utah State in 2023, and he followed that up with 834 yards and 6 scores in seven games in 2024. He’s got the makeup to be a power slot, and if he can develop a la guys like Parker Washington or Jauan Jennings in recent years, it’ll happen this year. This is obviously just a deep-league play, but if you’re diving deep, a late-rounder on Jalen Royals isn’t a bad idea. Truth be told, I like Rice on the football field , and yes I needed that emphasis. I think there’s a very realistic world where he performs similarly to the back half of his rookie year, when he was the WR9 in PPR points per game from Week 12 to the end of the season. But that’s the kicker. The best stretch you can find for Rice is him averaging 86.3 yards per game down the stretch of 2023, putting up WR9 numbers … and yet he’s the WR11 in drafts this year? That’s just a wild overdraft for a guy whose realistic ceiling isn’t much above that. And all of that is even before we discuss the fact that his star quarterback tore his ACL late last year, and while reports on Patrick Mahomes’ recovery are good, you never know until you see him on the field. His backup is Justin Fields , and if you’re counting on Justin Fields to make your wide receiver productive, you might be in for a bad time. And all of that is even before we discuss anything about Rice’s off-the-field situations. As of right now, it definitely doesn’t look like Rice is in line for any further suspension based on his probation violation earlier this summer. But he’s run into enough issues so far in his career that pretty much anything that were to happen between now and the season could have him on the sidelines for who knows how long. Should you avoid drafting Rice altogether because of off-the-field concerns? No, probably not. But it’s just another point of concern on a guy with a lot of them who is still somehow being drafted as if he’s a top-12 fantasy wide receiver, and I just don’t see it. Betting against Patrick Mahomes feels like a fool’s errand, but the situation in Kansas City has th [... truncated ...]

Travis Kelce

TE · KC

Patrick Mahomes

QB · KC

+6 players

general

Travis Kelce swan song? What to expect from Chiefs tight end in potential final season

CBS Sports NFLJul 16, 2026, 4:11 PM+10 stories · 30dSource ↗

Travis Kelce Patrick Mahomes Tyreek Hill

Three-time Super Bowl champion tight end Travis Kelce returns to the Kansas Chiefs in 2026 for his 14th and perhaps final NFL season. Kelce re-signed on a one-year, $12 million contract with two void years for salary cap purposes. The pact is structured for Kelce to decide whether to retire by June 2027, and after marrying Taylor Swift, he may look forward to more free time on his hands. Kelce doesn't have much left to prove. He ranks as the Chiefs' all-time receptions (1,080), receiving yards (13,002) and receiving touchdowns leader (82) while those same figures respectively have him ranked third, third and fifth all-time among all NFL tight ends. Receptions 1,080 1st 3rd Receiving yards 13,002 1st 3rd Receiving TD 82 1st 5th So what can we expect from a 37-year-old Kelce in 2026? The role is pretty clear, but the raw numbers are a little more murky. Kansas City will once again ask Kelce to be a focal point of their offense in his 14th season: he led the Chiefs in catches (76), receiving yards (851), while co-leading the team in receiving touchdowns (five). Since the Chiefs traded away All-Pro Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins in 2022, Kelce accounts for nearly a quarter of all of Kansas City's receiving at 22.7% (3,996), and Rice is second in that span at 10.2% (1,797). The 2010 All-Decade team tight end will continue to be heavily relied on in 2026. Travis Kelce 22.7% Rashee Rice 10.2% JuJu Smith-Schuster 8.6% Noah Gray 6.9% Xavier Worthy 6.6% * Kansas City traded Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins during the 2022 offseason It's unclear if Patrick Mahomes will be the one throwing the ball to Kelce all season. Mahomes tore both his ACL and LCL in his left knee on Dec. 14 against the Los Angeles Chargers , and a torn ACL injury typically involves a nine-month recovery on its own. It's unclear how the combination of the ACL and LCL tear will affect Mahomes' timetable. If he's unable to suit up for Week 1, the Chiefs have Justin Fields and 2026 seventh-round pick Garrett Nussmeier competing to be Mahomes' placeholder. Kelce made history with a team-leading 851 yards receiving in 2025 at the age of 36. He joined Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez as the only tight ends in NFL history with 800-plus receiving yards in a season at the age of 36-or-older. Gonzalez accomplished the feat as a 36-year-old (930 in 2012) and as a 37-year-old (859 in 2013) with the Atlanta Falcons . With how much of a target share he'll likely continue to possess in a Kansas City offense lacking in reliable playmakers at the wide receiver position, offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and head coach Andy Reid will likely continue to feature him in Year 14. Expect Kelce to produce numbers similar to his 2025 output in 2026

Noah Gray

TE · KC

transaction

FA: Noah Gray dropped

sleeper-tx-free_agentJul 14, 2026, 4:17 PM+2 stories · 30dSource unavailable

Noah Gray

Drops: Noah Gray

Mason Pline

Travis Kelce

TE · KC

+2 players

general

Chiefs sign TE Mason Pline

Pro Football TalkJun 18, 2026, 1:54 AMSource ↗

Mason Pline Travis Kelce Noah Gray

The Chiefs have a new tight end on the roster. Wednesday’s transaction report from the league shows that they have signed Mason Pline. The Chiefs had an open spot after trading tackle Wanya Morris to the Falcons, so they did not need to make any corresponding move. Pline tried out for the Chiefs at their minicamp this month. He signed with the 49ers after going undrafted in 2024 and spent the season on their practice squad. He moved on to the Saints as a waiver claim last August, but did not play in any games with New Orleans. Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, and Jared Wiley are the returning tight ends from the Chiefs’ 2025 roster

Mason Pline

Travis Kelce

TE · KC

+2 players

general

Chiefs sign TE Mason Pline

Yahoo Sports NFLJun 18, 2026, 1:54 AMSource ↗

Mason Pline Travis Kelce Noah Gray

The Chiefs have a new tight end on the roster. Wednesday's transaction report from the league shows that they have signed Mason Pline. The Chiefs had an open spot after trading tackle Wanya Morris to the Falcons, so they did not need to make any corresponding move. Pline tried out for the Chiefs at their minicamp this month. He signed with the 49ers after going undrafted in 2024 and spent the season on their practice squad. He moved on to the Saints as a waiver claim last August, but did not play in any games with New Orleans . Travis Kelce , Noah Gray , and Jared Wiley are the returning tight ends from the Chiefs' 2025 roster

Noah Gray

TE · KC

Travis Kelce

TE · KC

general

Chiefs’ Noah Gray feels very fortunate for another year of Travis Kelce

Yahoo Sports NFLJun 17, 2026, 9:15 PM+2 stories · 30dSource ↗

Noah Gray Travis Kelce

Kansas City’s tight ends are led by an all-time great, and his understudy is happy that’s still the case

Travis Kelce

TE · KC

Noah Gray

TE · KC

+2 players

general

Chiefs Trade Talk: ESPN simulates 2 offers for KC to add a player

Yahoo Sports NFLMay 28, 2026, 9:30 PM+10 stories · 30dSource ↗

Travis Kelce Noah Gray Jared Wiley

With OTAs and mandatory minicamps marking the stage of the NFL offseason when there is more speculation than news to cover, ESPN fit the bill with a simulation of the current trade market, featuring two offers that involve the Kansas City Chiefs sending a draft pick for a player that fits a position of need. Kansas City Chiefs Ben Solak’s offer: Bears get: 2027 third-round pick Chiefs get: Kmet, 2027 fifth-round pick Why this deal makes sense: This is a strong offer, but Kansas City likely has the biggest tight end need in the league. Travis Kelce plays much more slot receiver than true tight end, while Noah Gray and Jared Wiley have not moved the needle behind him. As the Chiefs commit to a better rushing attack, they need skill position players who can block. Kmet can reconnect with coordinator Eric Bieniemy and adds a much-needed dimension as a traditional Y tight end. Kansas City Chiefs Ben Solak’s offer: Giants get: 2027 fourth-round pick Chiefs get: Thibodeaux Why this deal makes sense: In recent drafts, the Chiefs have been dumping picks into edge rusher to find more juice: 2023 first-rounder Felix Anudike-Uzomah, 2025 third-rounder Ashton Gillotte and 2026 second-rounder R Mason Thomas . Why not add one more dart throw in Thibodeaux, who can fill a designated pass-rush role while Gillotte takes more early-down work? The Chiefs do have an extra third-rounder next year as a result of the Trent McDuffie trade, but I don’t think the Giants will be able to wrench a Day 2 pick from anyone for Thibodeaux, who has been only a rotational player to this point in his career. The first offer addresses the pass-catching unit in the Chiefs’ offense, just not in the way most rumors suggest. Solak simulates a trade for the Chicago Bears ’ tight end Cole Kmet instead of targeting a wide receiver. The lack of effort to improve the tight end position this offseason is an underrated hole in the organization’s plan to weaponize the run game. When looking across the league, especially looking at the teams ahead of the curve in scheme, it feels closer to a necessity than a luxury to have strong depth behind a star tight end like Travis Kelce. One of the most important factors in achieving a more effective, well-respected rushing attack is having the threat of unpredictability on any given snap. Teams like the Los Angeles Rams value formations with two or three tight ends because the “heavier” personnel provides a blocking advantage compared to three-receiver sets without sacrificing eligible pass catchers in formation. So the Rams invested in having quality depth, employing four tight ends who each surpassed 200 receiving yards and scored at least three times in 2025, a huge factor in quarterback Matthew Stafford’s MVP season and Los Angeles ’ NFC Championship appearance. So any experienced tight end would be a worthwhile addition, considering that Noah Gray is still the only proven player behind Kelce, and even then, that proof was absent for much of last season compared to the previous years. The idea of trading for New York Giants edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux is not a new one, but it doesn’t seem to be fizzling out after recurring rumors all offseason and the selection of Ohio State outside linebacker Arvell Reese in this year’s draft. As a former fifth-overall pick, Thibodeaux has underwhelmed for most of his career outside of an 11.5-sack season in his second year. To me, it doesn’t feel like the type of addition the front office will prioritize over the options available in free agency. Chiefs general manager Brett Veach has a track record of acquiring former first-round picks who didn’t live up to expectations initially. However, the team could really use the reliability that comes with seasoned veterans like free agents Cameron Jordan or Jadeveon Clowney . Kansas City has prospects along the defensive line that give the unit a strong enough long-term outlook to avoid the risk of failing to revamp Thibodeaux’s career [... truncated ...]

Noah Gray

TE · KC

transaction