Sometimes the most obvious answer to a problem is also the best one. That was definitely the case for the Kansas City Chiefs when running back Breece Hall became available at the trade deadline, but the Chiefs missed the boat on that potential deal when they haggled with the New York Jets over a third-round draft pick as compensation.
Now opportunity is knocking again, according to Leigh Oleszczak of Arrowhead Addict. Tight end David Njoku recently penned a farewell letter to the Cleveland Browns fan base, and if he does become available as a free agent, Njoku would be the ideal complement to tight end Travis Kelce, or a possible replacement if Kelce does indeed decide to ride off into the sunset and retire.
Adding Njoku would play better as a replacement. His numbers dropped last year due to injuries and the emergence of tight end Harold Fanning Jr. in Cleveland, but Njoku is an eight-year veteran who’s just two years removed from having 800 receiving yards and six touchdowns for the Browns, have haven’t had a viable quarterback in ages.
Right now the Chiefs’ options other than Kelce are limited. They have Noah Gray, who was supposed to be a complementary option and possibly work in some two tight-end sets, but that never really happened. Gray is now a cut candidate, and the Kansas City’s other option, Jared Wiley, is still a complete unknown and basically a depth piece.
Since this is a hypothetical, let’s take a big swing and imagine Njoku playing alongside Kelce for Kelce's final season. They’re both veterans near the end of their respective careers, but both still appear to have plenty left in the tank. Not enough to be a future piece, but more than enough to offer plenty of intriguing possibilities.
This would also give coach Andy Reid the opportunity to experiment. Two tight-end sets are a thing now across the NFL, and young innovators like coach Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams are even playing around with using three tight ends in heavy lineups.
Exploring this potential would accomplish a number of things for the Chiefs. For starters, they’re going to need to protect quarterback Patrick Mahomes better now that he’ll be coming off knee surgery, and sets with multiple tight ends do just that.
This could also energize the running game. The Chiefs are going to add someone more explosive; we just eon’t know if it’s through free agency or the draft. Njoku would help that running back find lanes, and he would give Reid the opportunity to experiment with different kinds of motion.
Njoku might be out of Kansas City’s price range, but the Chiefs have the ability to do some contract restructuring to make room for someone like Njoku. He’s projected to make two years, $20 million, according to Spotrac, and that’s a risk worth taking for a short-term solution.