Chief Concerns: Tight End

We‘ve talked a lot in the past about the ‘next man up‘ mentality that Chiefs employ. Partly due to injuries and partly due to cap concerns, the Chiefs have had to deal with new starters in the playoffs just about every year. Last year, when Derrick Johnson went down, it got me thinking, are there any positions where Chiefs absolutely could not weather the loss of a single starter? Yes: Tight End.

Travis Kelcie is a top two tight end while Demetrius Harris and Ross Travis are basically still learning how to play football. Harris is a guy who looks like he might break out every year. Travis looked incredible in training camp. Both have been average in their best moments during the regular season. With the importance of the TE in Reid’s West Coast Offense, it’s imperative for Chiefs to find a better backup/compliment to Travis Kelce. I took a look at available free agent TEs who could fit the Chiefs well, as well as some draft prospects who have potential.

Free Agent Tight Ends

I looked at two types of TEs here, young guys on the cusp of realizing their potential, and grizzled veterans who could contribute for a year or two while Chiefs bring the young TEs along. Here’s what I found:

Vernon Davis

Bringing in Vernon Davis would have been a better move two years ago when the Redskins made it, but Davis is still productive despite his age. He’s a guy that Alex Smith knows and he could contribute right away. Although he’s older, his production merits a 3-4 year contract with some guaranteed money. That’s risky for a guy his age whose body could give up soon.

Jared Cook

Cook has never lived up to his potential. He’s an older player with experience, but he’s inconsistent. Even so, he’s a phenomenal athlete and can be good as a home run threat now and again. Cook makes sense as a low contract training camp tryout who will have to earn his way onto the team.

Mychal Rivera

Rivera has played for a Raiders team that doesn’t do a lot with their tight ends. The Raiders drafted Clive Walford to replace him and Rivera saw his snaps drop quite a bit. Mychal Rivera has untapped potential that the Chiefs could exploit at an affordable price. He has good hands and has been productive in the limited reps he gets. This is the kind of low-risk high reward signing that could really pay off for Dorsey.

Levine Toilolo

Toilolo comes from a prolific Falcon’s offense and is coming off his best year as a player. He’s a huge target with good hands when he uses them. He’s not straight line fast, but he’s quick enough to run good routes. Toilolo is inconsistent. If you look at his career stats, they go up one year and down the next. Toilolo has the skills to be great TE if he could just put them together all at once and for more than a game or two. He could potentially command serious interest in free agency that would jack up his price, and he might be in for a down year in 2017 if his past production trends continue. Still, his YPR shows you just what he can contribute when he does produce.

My Move

If I were Dorsey, I’d go after Mychal Rivera. Players love to play their old team twice a year. Chiefs know how to use a receiving threat like Mychal, and his success with the franchise would have the added bonus of making the Raiders look foolish for letting him go.

Tight Ends in the Draft

This draft is top heavy at tight ends. In my personal opinion, the Chiefs don’t need another developmental TE. If they make it past the 4^th round without drafting a TE, they probably shouldn’t bother to draft one. Here’s some TEs I would consider drafting if I were Dorsey:

O.J. Howard, 6’6” 249lbs

Howard is a special athlete and a mismatch against any defender that lines up to cover him. He’d present a truly viable backup to Travis Kelce and would see plenty of targets in his own right. The challenge for the Chiefs would be whether it’s worth it to trade up for a TE since Howard will not fall as far as 27.

David Njoku, 6′4” 240lbs

Miami has gotten pretty good at producing talented TEs. While Njoku’s game needs polishing, he’s a freak athlete who tries hard and runs some really nasty routes. If Chiefs can bring him along quickly, he has the chance to be somewhat productive this year and could explode next year with an off-season in an NFL weight program.

Evan Engram, 6’3” 236lbs

Engram isn’t strictly a TE, he’s more an H-Back or oversized WR, but he can definitely fill the role of a move TE. Knows how to get open and has speed that’s tough for LBs to match up with.

Bucky Hodges, 6’6” 245lbs

Hodges is a bit of a project and, as such, comes close to being a guy I wouldn’t want the Chiefs to draft. That said, he has tremendous size and athleticism. He’s basically a big WR and has lined up all over the field. As a former QB, he has an advanced understanding of coverages and routes. He needs considerable polish to his game, this is only his 3^rd year playing TE, but he’s an ascending prospect who can provide an early impact as a receiver.

Jake Butt, 6′5” 250lbs

Call me a middle-schooler, but ever since I saw Jake Butt’s name, I’ve wanted the Chiefs to draft him. Hopefully, if they do he won’t have any butt fumbles, otherwise he might become the butt of a joke. Anyway, the bottom line is — somebody stop me — Butt is actually a very talented TE who’s stock has been hurt by injuries. If he was healthy, he’d probably be a late 2^nd round pick. As is, he could be great value from the end of the 3^rd on. He produced well for a Michigan offense led by coach Jim Harbaugh that bears a lot of similarities to Chiefs’ scheme. If Chiefs draft Jake Butt, I kinda hope Joseph Cheeks sticks on the roster as well…

Jeremy Sprinkle, 6’5” 256

Sprinkle is an old school TE. He’s not the dynamic receiver the offense needs, but if you’re concerned about the run game, sign up for this guy. Sprinkle could use some work on the nuances of blocking, but if he knows who he’s supposed to block he gets it done. Jeremy isn’t going to be flying up draft boards, but he’s going to be a long time blocking TE in the NFL, there’s a place for guys like that.

My Move

When Chiefs compensatory 3^rd round pick rolls around, look at the board, Butt or Hodges should be there. Pick one of them.

What the Chiefs are actually likely to do

Nothing. The Chiefs are happy with the options they have going into the draft. They may want more production, but with limited cap space, they won’t be much of a player in free agency. Once the draft does roll around, they’ll probably be more focused on LBs, QBs and DL. They could always surprise me, but I think fans are more worried about the TE position than the Chiefs are.

Bonus Thought

I’m fairly confident Chiefs are going to try to trade a QB this year. Tyler Bray is entering the final year of his deal, same for Foles and Chiefs brought in practice squad QB Joel Stave. That’s not something we’ve seen yet in the Reid era. To me, this all adds up to Chiefs planning to be without Foles, Bray or Smith. Probably Foles.