Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is putting up numbers no one before him ever has
Travis Kelce and George Kittle stood on a makeshift stage in Miami, exchanging pleasantries and then compliments before a national TV audience on Super Bowl’s opening night. The two best players at their craft matched up in the biggest game the sport has to offer, as pundits debated which one might be just a tad better.
Days later, Kelce got the ring.
For what it’s worth, he led all tight ends in receptions and yards this season, too, and his 65 catches resulting in first downs were a dozen more than anyone else in football. His case, is another words, is compelling.
But regardless of where he falls into the pantheon of NFL elite, Kelce prolonged his run as one of the Chiefs’ most reliable weapons in coach Andy Reid’s tenure in Kansas City.
Kelce, of course, begins our evaluation of this year’s tight ends.
2019 FINAL ROSTER: Travis Kelce, Blake Bell, Deon Yelder
2020 FREE AGENTS: Blake Bell, Deon Yelder (exclusive rights free agent)
Position review
On a snowy December afternoon inside Arrowhead Stadium, Travis Kelce caught 11 passes for 142 yards in a win against the Broncos. It was the initial 11 yards that cemented his stature among the best to do it.
Ever.
Kelce became the first NFL tight end to compile four straight 1,000-yard seasons. Heck, only one more tight end (Greg Olsen) even has accomplished the feat in three straight years.
The records only start there. Kelce has totaled 6,465 yards in his first seven seasons —despite not catching a pass his rookie year because of injury — another NFL record.
He finished 2019 with 97 catches for 1,229 yards and five touchdowns, and then he turned to a different level in the postseason. The Texans simply had no solution for him in the AFC Divisional Round, and Kelce totaled 10 catches for 134 yards. He reached the end zone three times ... in the first half.
His fourth-quarter touchdown in the Super Bowl kept alive a Chiefs comeback that would be completed on the ensuing drive.
Kelce accounted for 91% of the Chiefs’ output from the tight end position in 2019. While Reid employed two tight-end sets — “Tiger Personnel” — the second and third options didn’t see a whole lot of targets. Blake Bell caught eight passes for 67 yards. Deon Yelder had just three catches on 50 yards and was inactive for seven games. Bell did add a three receptions and a touchdown in the playoffs.
Looking ahead
The Chiefs undoubtedly march on with Kelce as the leader of the group. He’s a perfect fit for the Patrick Mahomes-led offense, and he’s under contract through 2021 (and at a relatively cheap number given his production).
With fewer than three accrued seasons, Yelder is an exclusive rights free agent, so he’s locked into signing with the Chiefs if offered a minimum salary tender, per NFL rules.
On the chopping block?
While Kelce will be back, the depth chart below him has experienced some movement over the last 12 months. Bell and Yelder were each in their first seasons with the Chiefs. The Chiefs could look to bolster the backup spot with a consistent threat in the passing game, but that would necessitate a larger investment for a team neighboring the salary cap. And that works in Bell’s favor.