Tight end Travis Kelce returning to the Kansas City Chiefs may have brought back smiles on the faces of the fans. However, he is now 36 and playing the final few seasons of his career. As a result, for most of the offseason, it was speculated that the Chiefs would be going for a tight end in the first round who would be Kelce’s successor. However, ESPN’s Peter Schrager believes that head coach Andy Reid won’t be drafting a TE. Instead, they are predicted to bolster other positions.

“I don’t think they go [Kenyon] Sadiq the tight end, I don’t think they go offensive line at No. 9, I think the Chiefs are one of the WR’s or one of the pass rushers if they fall,” said Peter Schrager, via Starcade Media on X. “Then Caleb Down or Mansoor Delane if they’re on the board.”

Kenyon Sadiq has been touted as the TE1 for the 2026 NFL Draft. The 6’3″, 240-pound player, who went to Oregon, has already proven his elite athleticism at the NFL Combine. His 4.39-second 40-yard dash and 43.5-inch vertical make him a dangerous receiving threat. In fact, last season he recorded 560 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 51 receptions. Due to his abilities, he was considered a serious candidate for the Chiefs. He even met the Chiefs and Kelce during the offseason. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer also linked him to the Chiefs as Kelce’s successor.

However, that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. According to Schrager, the Chiefs’ priority is either a wide receiver or a pass rusher.

Last season, Hollywood Brown was their best wide receiver, with 587 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 51 receptions. But the Philadelphia Eagles signed him in free agency. JuJu Smith-Schuster has also left, and Rashee Rice has been pretty busy with his off-field troubles. While they have Tyquan Thornton and Xavier Worthy, the duo cannot be listed in the “elite” class yet.

Because of a shortfall in talent at the position, drafting a wide receiver like Washington’s Denzel Boston or USC’s Makai Lemon seems like a better way to address the problem. Both have recorded 11 touchdowns and 850+ receiving yards last season. Moreover, the Chiefs have a top-ten pick for the first time in almost a decade. With a wide receiver-heavy draft, Schrager may not be too far from his predictions.

However, if not a wide receiver, then their next target is a pass rusher. The 2025 season was an eye-opener for the Chiefs. Finishing with a 6-11 record and recording only 35 sacks (22nd) and 14 takeaways (26th) marked their worst season in a decade. Drafting a pass rusher is how they are hoping to address the issue.

For the most part, it was all DE Chris Jones and George Karlaftis who were the most productive players on the defense. They recorded 13 sacks together.

To help solve this, drafting someone like Miami edge Rueben Bain Jr. or Ohio LB Arvell Reese would make sense. The Chiefs have already hosted him for a top-30 visit ahead of the draft. Last year was his breakout season. He posted 68 hurries and 9.5 sacks. He finished his college career with 33.5 tackles for loss and 20.5 sacks.

Reese’s contributions helped his team win the National Championship in 2024. He has been one of their top players and has been pretty versatile. He can play as a dominant edge rusher, a coverage linebacker, or a quarterback spy. While the Kansas City Chiefs have a stack of players to choose from, including Bain Jr. and Reese, they also have other defensive players on their radar.

The Kansas City Chiefs can also pick Caleb Downs or Mansoor Delane

Besides Rueben Bain Jr. and Arvell Reese, the Chiefs are also eyeing LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane or Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. Delane is the consensus No. 1 cornerback. Having lost Super Bowl-winning cornerbacks, Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, the franchise needs a strong presence in that position. Last season, he earned All-America honors after allowing only 13 catches, creating 27 pass breakups, and 8 interceptions.

The NCAA is also familiar with his “shutdown” capabilities, and he is pretty skilled in both press-man and zone coverage. Moreover, with a 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds, he left a great impression, and Reid will be hoping to add him as it would help their defense get back on its feet.

There’s also Caleb Downs, who is one of the hottest prospects in this year’s draft. A five-star recruit out of high school and a top 15 overall prospect nationally, the Swiss Army knife has never allowed a touchdown in his career. That is some serious achievement at such a young age. Similar to Reese, he is also a versatile player. He is accustomed to playing as a box-safety, can run two-high safety, and can play as a nickel CB.

With nine total picks in the 2026 draft, the Chiefs can select a few talented prospects to improve their squad. While they have only one pick in the Top 10, often gold drops in later rounds, and coach Reid will be hoping that happens with the franchise.