With the Kansas City Chiefs offense missing wide receiver Kadarius Toney for the foreseeable future, others will have to step up around quarterback Patrick Mahomes II — and not just at WR.
“If I had to choose my top two Chiefs on offense to watch through two days, it would be [tight end Noah] Gray and [running back Deneric] Prince,” Arrowhead Pride media member Pete Sweeney voiced on July 24. “Especially with the new Toney injury, I wonder if KC runs two tight ends more than they did in 2022 (32% first down).”
“And Gray is just waiting to break out,” Sweeney added confidently. “I’d bet on it.”
The reporter said this after Mahomes hit Gray for two touchdowns during a red zone 7-on-7 drill at training camp. The third touchdown pass of the 7-on-7 period was to Prince.
Chiefs TE Noah Gray Could Turn Into Travis Kelce Successor
No Chiefs fan wants to envision a world without Travis Kelce, but unfortunately, time is undefeated. Eventually, the superstar tight end will age out of the NFL, whether that’s three years from now or seven. If Kansas City is smart, Gray will be there the day he does.
Since being drafted in 2021, the Duke product has studied behind Kelce every step of the way. His ceiling may never be as high — considering his fifth-round status and Kelce’s Hall of Fame resume — but Gray has proven to be a capable dual-threat in his own right.
Plus, he’s only 24 years old. Realistically, let’s say Kelce plays four to five more seasons. At that point, Gray would still be an experienced veteran in his late 20s — with far less mileage than your average 28 or 29-year-old tight end.
Of course, that would mean extending Gray beyond his rookie contract — but considering the direction that the third-year prospect is trending, that might be wise. If Gray turns into Kelce’s long-term successor at tight end, the Chiefs organization could be set at the position for the better part of two decades.
Chiefs RB Deneric Prince Has ‘Been Tough to Ignore’
As for Prince, Sweeney also followed up on the exciting UDFA in an additional tweet.
“Prince’s opening days of camp have been tough to ignore,” Sweeney noted. “He simply has another gear and cannot drop a pass. A defender was in tight coverage down the sideline Monday, and Prince looked to bring the ball in with one hand. Tulsa might wish it could go back in time down the road.”
That little quip at Tulsa was referring to Prince’s pass-catching ability so far. This skillset flew way under the radar during the draft, but it appears the Chiefs knew the skinny on the undrafted prospect.
That sets KC up with an interesting conundrum in 2023. They could keep Clyde Edwards-Helaire on the roster for his experience and knowledge of the system, or they could roll with Prince and three running backs — freeing up a spot for someone else.
The “CEH” route offers more insurance in case of an injury, but the Prince route offers cap relief and more upside when it comes to the rest of the roster. This one should come down to the wire, but the more the UDFA impresses, the harder it will be for Kansas City to resist either trading or cutting Edwards-Helaire.
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Chiefs Third-Year Draft Pick Is ‘Just Waiting to Break Out’