Andy Reid, Travis Kelce
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Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and Travis Kelce at Allegiant Stadium on November 26, 2023.
The Kansas City Chiefs will soon need to determine their plan for replacing tight end Travis Kelce, but for one season they could focus on revitalizing him.
Kelce announced that he would be returning to the Chiefs for another season, putting an end to the speculation that he will head off into retirement. While the tight end’s one-year deal hints that this could very well be the end, one analyst believes the team could make the most of his potential final season by making another big investment into the position.
Kenyon Sadiq and Travis Kelce Could Give Opposing Defenses Nightmares
SI.com’s Zak Gilbert suggested that the Chiefs could be serious about using their No. 9 overall pick to land Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq. While Sadiq has an athletic skill set that mirrors Kelce, Gilbert believes the two would play well alongside each other.
Gilbert called Sadiq a “sneaky good selection” for the Chiefs if they choose to land him.
“So, should Brett Veach and Andy Reid, a former Packers tight ends coach, view Sadiq as a top-9 prospect in this draft, think of the possibilities — pure night-terrors for opponent coordinators,” Gilbert wrote. “Imagine second-and-6 with Kenneth Walker behind Patrick Mahomes in 12 personnel (one back, two tight ends). On one snap, Kelce’s in the slot, Sadiq’s in tight on the other side. Which player does the defense double?”
Gilbert believes that Sadiq could unlock new elements on offense for the Chiefs.
“Don’t think of Sadiq replacing Kelce. Think of Sadiq proliferating Kelce, not to mention creating explosive runs for Walker,” Gilbert wrote. “Sadiq is a sneaky good selection for the Chiefs, especially if they don’t like the length of Rueben Bain’s arms.”
Travis Kelce Excited to Return
Though there had been months of speculation about whether he would return to the Chiefs or retire, Kelce revealed that his decision was made a long time ago. Speaking on his “New Heights” podcast, the Chiefs tight end said he knew during the season that he wanted to play another year — though still took the proper time to make sure of his decision.
“I was taking Jason Kelce’s advice. I was taking the advice to take a step back,” Kelce said. “You gotta let the emotions clear, and you gotta have a clear head. I’ve made decisions based off of emotions, and they haven’t always played out the right way.
“So, I think taking a step back, letting the emotions settle down … it still felt like I was hungry enough to get back at it. Obviously, there’s still a little bit of that grit and that emotion. I [expletive] hated the way that [expletive] ended last year, and I wanna make it right.”
Kelce now has the chance to help the team rebound from its disappointing 2025, when they fell short of the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade. The silver lining is the Top-10 draft pick, which the team could use to land Sadiq and revitalize the often struggling offense.