After plenty of anxiety-fueled speculation, Travis Kelce’s return to the Kansas City Chiefs for another season brought plenty of comfort to Arrowhead. But the questions remain. Now 36, for how much longer can he continue to be Patrick Mahomes’ trusted target? Naturally, there is a growing expectation that Kansas City should start preparing for what comes next by targeting a tight end early in the draft. And once you see the name that has surfaced as a possible successor, it becomes easier to understand why the Chiefs’ backup plan to keep their playoff ambitions on track suddenly feels a lot more believable.

Kenyon Sadiq has been touted as the TE1 for the 2026 NFL Draft and, therefore, emerged as a natural name in conversations about a possible Travis Kelce successor. The Oregon standout impressed scouts with his elite athletic profile, including a 4.39-second 40-yard dash and a 43.5-inch vertical at the NFL Combine. He backed that up with 51 receptions for 560 yards and eight touchdowns last season, showing the kind of downfield threat and red-zone reliability that fits well in Andy Reid’s offense. Sadiq also met with the Chiefs during the offseason and even spent time with Kelce himself, while Sports Illustrated insider Albert Breer linked him to Kansas City in pre-draft discussions, adding fuel to the idea that he could be part of their long-term plans at tight end.

However, ESPN’s Peter Schrager believes that head coach Andy Reid won’t be drafting a TE at all.

“I don’t think they go [Kenyon] Sadiq the tight end, I don’t think they go offensive line at No. 9,” said Schrager, via Starcade Media on X.

Several draft analysts believe Kansas City is unlikely to spend the No. 9 overall pick on a tight end, especially with more immediate roster needs elsewhere and another first-round selection still available later in the round.

“I think the Chiefs are one of the WR’s or one of the pass rushers if they fall,” added Schrager. “Then Caleb Down or Mansoor Delane if they’re on the board.”

Kansas City’s wide receiver situation remains one of the clearest reasons analysts keep connecting the franchise to a pass catcher early in the draft.

 Outside of Travis Kelce’s role in the middle of the field, the offense is still searching for a dependable perimeter target who consistently forces defenses to widen coverage. Xavier Worthy flashed his speed last season but finished with just one touchdown, while Tyquan Thornton has yet to establish himself as a weekly difference-maker. That context helps explain why Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, Washington’s Denzel Boston, and USC’s Makai Lemon continue to surface in projections tied to Kansas City. 

Tyson recorded 61 receptions for 711 yards and eight touchdowns in nine appearances last season, showing strong contested-catch ability in traffic, while Tate averaged 17.2 yards per catch on his way to 875 yards and nine touchdowns. Lemon, the 2025 Fred Biletnikoff Award winner and a unanimous All-American selection, has been viewed by scouts as one of the most explosive playmakers in the class, and Boston’s 850-plus yards and 11 touchdowns last year placed him firmly inside the tier of receivers expected to come off the board in the early rounds. 

Together, that group represents the type of perimeter production Kansas City has been missing alongside Kelce in recent seasons. If the Chiefs instead lean toward reinforcing the pass rush, the reasoning is just as straightforward. 

Kansas City finished the 2025 season with only 35 sacks and 14 takeaways, production that reflected how heavily the front depended on Chris Jones and George Karlaftis to generate pressure.

 Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. has frequently appeared in top-ten projection ranges after finishing his final college season with 54 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks while earning ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors. Texas Tech defensive lineman David Bailey has also entered that conversation as a consensus All-American presence along the defensive front, while Ohio State’s Arvell Reese offers a different type of impact defender after posting 69 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks during his final season and helping lead the Buckeyes to a national championship run in 2024. 

With Steve Spagnuolo’s defense built around creating pressure without sacrificing coverage flexibility behind it, adding another disruptive edge presence remains one of the most consistent directions analysts have connected to Kansas City at No. 9.

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.