The start of the 2025 campaign has not gone according to plan for the Kansas City Chiefs. While they managed to earn their first win of the season in Week 3 against the New York Giants, they lost their first two games against the Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles. Nothing feels easy on offense for the Chiefs, and fans are continuing to wonder what is going on with star tight end Travis Kelce.
Through three games, Kelce has racked up just 10 catches for 134 yards and a touchdown, which is a far cry from the big numbers he was putting up earlier in his career. While he’s obviously not the player he once was, Kelce has struggled to get on the same page as Patrick Mahomes in the early going, and if you ask former All-Pro Chiefs running back Priest Holmes, he thinks the team may be forced to trade for another offensive playmaker if Kelce keeps on struggling.
Priest Holmes Gets Brutally Honest on Travis Kelce’s Struggles
For the majority of his career, Kelce has been one of the top tight ends in the NFL. Over the past two seasons, though, his production has taken a notable step back, which has hampered the Chiefs’ offense, especially with their new trio of wide receivers, Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, and Marquise Brown struggling to stay on the field.
Through three games, this is arguably the worst Kelce has looked in his career. While his diminished big-play ability makes sense since he’s 36 years old now, it’s the smaller things that are more concerning. His hands don’t appear as reliable as they once were, he’s struggling to find gaps in zone coverage, and as noted above, his rapport with Mahomes has not been crisp to this point.
It’s only a three-game sample, but with Kansas City’s record already sitting at 1-2, the team can’t afford to wait around for things to get better. According to Holmes, if Kelce can’t continue to step up and be Mahomes’ top target in the passing game, the front office may have to go out and find someone who can fill that role.
“I saw a very inconsistent Kelce versus Philly, especially down on the goal line,” Holmes said in an interview with CasinoBeats. “He was on the one-yard line, had a chance to catch a perfect pass and just fall into the end zone. He drops the pass, muffs it, it’s in the air, and it gets intercepted and returned for about 20 more yards. It’s uncharacteristic of Kelce.”
“They’re going to definitely need a bigger receiver out there helping out with these younger and faster receivers that they have,” Holmes added. “There might be some receivers that they have that could come off the bench. But it’s nothing like having a veteran in there that can be able to help out those young guys as well.”
Should the Chiefs Trade for Another Playmaker on Offense?
GettyChiefs tight end Travis Kelce at MetLife Stadium on September 21, 2025.
The Chiefs are holding out hope that Rice can return from his six-game suspension and emerge as Mahomes’ top target, and getting Worthy back from the shoulder injury he suffered on the team’s first offensive possession of the season would certainly help. Kansas City doesn’t really know what its offense looks like with Rice, Worthy, Brown, and Kelce all on the field at the same time, and it seems like they want to see what this group is capable of before making a big move.
Of course, if they did want to make a trade, a guy who stands out as a top target is Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who began his career with the Chiefs. However, that would be an expensive move, and if Rice and Worthy return and play well, it wouldn’t be necessary. If they can’t get on the field, though, and Kelce keeps on struggling, a trade may be what K.C. needs to get back on track.
Former All-Pro Running Back Drops Truth Bomb on Travis Kelce’s Struggles