Hearing a head coach say the sky is the limit for an already established star player is standard training camp fodder. However, when that coach is Andy Reid and that player is do-everything tight end Travis Kelce, some ears might start to perk up.
Reid said Kelce is essentially a wide receiver anyway, foreshadowing a potentially larger role for the two-time Pro Bowler who put up a career-high 85 catches for 1,125 yards and four touchdowns last year.
"I think every year you will see him probably get a little bit more here and there," Reid said, via the team's official site. "Different things, like you said, he plays a lot, so it will not be play time necessarily, but just variations of the passing game. He can basically do everything a wide receiver can do. He gives you some flexibility there."
As Pro Football Focus noted this offseason, their own metrics had Kelce leading all tight ends in average yards after the catch and with a YAC total (652 yards) that on its own would have been good enough for a top-15 season among tight ends. It simply makes sense to get one of the league's hardest-to-tackle players in open space.
Kelce seems up to the challenge and said his offseason labrum surgery won't get in the way.
"We're rolling, man," Kelce said. "It feels great. I haven't had any problems with it first two days of camp. I had a few dropped balls that I got to clean up, but other than that we're working like I said."
While the Chiefs seemed to downgrade slightly personnel-wise this offseason, few were taking into account the growth of someone like Kelce and the potential impact that could have on the equally versatile Tyreek Hill. Alex Smith might not have more weapons, but he could have better ones.
