Chiefs sign new tight end as Andy Reid takes first steps to replace Travis Kelce amid retirement decision
The Kansas City Chiefs have signed a new tight end as Travis Kelce ponders his future.
Speculation has surrounded the NFL legend for months, with many expecting No. 87 to walk away for good.
He recently dropped a new hint on his retirement plans and joked he is ‘jobless’ after the Chiefs‘ 2025 season concluded.
Kelce is also said to have an exciting new career lined up, post-football.
Despite that, he is yet to officially clarify his future, and that puts Kansas City in a tough spot.
With or without him, life will go on for the crumbling dynasty, which finished 6-11 this season and landed a top 10 draft pick after nearly a decade of NFL dominance.
Chiefs sign tight end with Travis Kelce decision to come
Head coach Andy Reid, it seems, has taken the first step to prepare for 2026 and beyond without his 36-year-old weapon.
On Monday, the Chiefs re-signed practice squad tight end Tre Watson to a reserve/future contract.
The 23-year-old, out of Texas A&M, initially arrived in Kansas City as an undrafted free agent following the 2025 NFL draft.
He was then assigned to the practice squad heading into the season, and did not see the field.
Watson’s reserve/future contract guarantees that he will have a role in training camp in 2026, and the agreement will become official at the start of the new NFL year on March 11.
What depth do the Chiefs have at tight end?
In 2025, Kansas City was well stocked in the tight end position.
Veteran and three-time Super Bowl champion Kelce sat top of the depth chart, with Noah Gray, Robert Tonyan and Jared Wiley behind him.
Of those names, only Gray saw considerable action on the field in 2025. He featured in 16 games, catching 21 of 37 targets for 178 yards.
Tonyan and Wiley had two receptions between them.
Should Kelce choose to retire, it’s almost certain that Gray — a fifth-round pick in the 2021 draft — would be elevated to Kansas City’s No. 1 tight end.
The 26-year-old was handed a contract extension in 2024, and when that deal was locked down, quarterback Patrick Mahomes spoke highly of him.
“He’s just a smart player,” Mahomes said.
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“Extremely smart player that does a lot of physical stuff that we need in this offense. He’s able to get himself open, he makes the catches whenever he’s asked to do it, but a guy who can just do it all.
“You need those guys in order to win football games. He’s one of those guys that can come in for Travis in spots and I have full confidence that he can go out there and make plays happen as well.
“He’s learned a ton behind Trav, and you can see him getting better and better each and every year. I was happy for him because he’s one of those guys that does it the right way and deserves the contract he got.”
Should Kelce walk away in the coming months, Mahomes will be relying on Gray to fill a gaping hole on the offense in the years to come.
Watson, perhaps, will also have a shot of making the field too.
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