The Chiefs Increasing Noah Gray's Role is Inevitable

At the conclusion of the Kansas City Chiefs' mandatory minicamp, head coach Andy Reid was asked about veteran tight end Travis Kelce's workload that fans should expect to see. Given that Kelce is coming off a down season, Coach Reid informed the media of what to expect.

"Yeah, I'm not really feeling that, more be similar to last year, I would imagine, as it goes," Reid said. "So he's in great shape right now. So I think he's looking forward to getting going."

Regardless of age being against Kelce, the plan for the moment is to have Kelce endure the same workload he has throughout his career. However, Coach Reid did say that he would keep a close eye on Kelce's production and would pull him back should it start to decrease.

That being said, tight end Noah Gray is going into the 2025 campaign off of his best season donning a Chiefs uniform. Gray has only seen his production increase since debuting in 2021, and gives the Chiefs something to consider when looking into a future without Kelce on the roster.

Last season, Gray totaled 437 receiving yards, and while that doesn't jump off the page, he brought in a career high five touchdowns, two more than Kelce did. And whenever Gray got the ball, he didn't hesitate to make his impact known, averaging 10.9 receiving yards per reception for the second season in a row.

Whether or not Gray sees the role increase this season, the time will come when he will be listed as the primary tight end. The Chiefs and Gray agreed to a three-year contract extension worth $18 million that ends in 2027.

Depending on the production of Kelce this season, it may be smart to hand the baton over to Gray to increase his stock as he approaches free agency in 2027. The former fifth-rounder has a high ceiling; the Chiefs just need to allow him to start reaching his potential.

According to PFF, last season, Gray was the eighth-best tight end that qualified under their metrics, with an overall grade of 74.2. Still young, the Chiefs should begin to utilize Gray in a larger role before it's too late, dampening his momentum built from the first four seasons of his career.

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