The Kansas City Chiefs built a dynasty, reaching three straight Super Bowls while winning two of them. Last season was their first real struggle of the Patrick Mahomes era as they missed the playoffs for the first time. They need improvements on offense, with Travis Kelce headed toward retirement soon, and the Chiefs were floated as a potential landing spot for Cole Kmet as Kelce’s replacement.
Analyst Projects Cole Kmet as a Potential Travis Kelce Replacement
The Chiefs could use more help on offense. Kmet is a solid rotational piece for Chicago, but the emergence of Colston Loveland has put his role in question. Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox floated the possibility that Kmet could be a trade candidate and that the Chiefs could be a potential suitor.
Knox projects that the Chiefs would likely have to part ways with a veteran defender or a conditional 2027 fourth-round selection. It won’t be easy because Chicago isn’t looking to make a move with Kmet, but Knox doesn’t think it’ll be too much to ask for the tight end.
“Teams seeking a quality pass-catching tight end should make a few calls to the Bears in the coming weeks, especially if they’re willing to part with a defensive back or edge-rusher who can help Chicago’s ongoing defensive rebuild,” said Knox.
Kmet has played six seasons with the Bears and racked up 21 touchdowns. Now, his offensive role isn’t as obvious as Chicago looks ready to have Loveland be the main tight end with their newest third-round draft pick, Sam Roush, potentially stepping in as the backup. If that’s the case, the Bears can gain draft capital and free up some cap space by dealing Kmet.
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This doesn’t just make sense for the Bears, but for Kansas City, too. Kelce isn’t getting any younger and isn’t quite the same player he’s been throughout his career. By no means is Kelce completely washed, but his career might come to an end at the end of this season.
Exploring an early solution to the tight end void Kelce will leave soon could be a pivotal move for Kansas City. Kelce finished 12th in PFSN’s TE Impact Metric last season with an impact score of 80.6. He was one of the few offensive weapons that were available throughout the season for Kansas City.
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The Chiefs’ offense dealt with Rashee Rice, Isiah Pacheco, and Xavier Worthy all missing time, and eventually, Mahomes tore his ACL. Kmet is a durable and reliable pass catcher who rarely misses games and could make for a smart addition to the Chiefs’ offense.
The biggest question for Kansas City will be Mahomes’ health. While it is expected that he should be ready by Week 1, a torn ACL is not to be messed with, and his long-term health could be prioritized, which could force him to miss more time than initially planned. The Chiefs want their AFC West crown back and for that they might need to add another playmaker to their offense.
