Over his 12 seasons in the NFL, Kansas City Chiefs superstar tight end Travis Kelce has established himself as one of the most consistent and dominant players at his position in league history. However, after a drop in production this season, it seems the time may be approaching for the Chiefs to start thinking about his successor.
Travis Kelce is currently having the least productive season of his career since he became a full-time starter in 2014. This sharp decline in performance coupled with the fact that Kelce is set to become a free agent in 2026 has led one NFL expert to believe the Chiefs will be looking for his replacement in the upcoming NFL Draft.
NFL expert Luke Easterling of Athlon Sports expects that the Chiefs will take a major step toward replacing Kelce in the 2025 NFL Draft, predicting that the team will select Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. with the No. 31 overall pick in his latest mock draft.
“It’s time for the Chiefs to start planning for life after Travis Kelce, who will turn 36 next October,” Easterling wrote this week.
“One of the best-kept secrets in this year’s class, Fannin is putting up ridiculous numbers this season, and his athleticism and versatility would make him the ideal understudy for Kelce. Giving Patrick Mahomes another explosive weapon at tight end would be a huge win.”
Needless to say, this possibility led to a lot of reactions in the comments of the story.
“Kelce will be one of the best but like all other greats, they get older. They all get replaced. It’s part of the business,” one person said in the comments on NewsBreak.
“Travis Kelce needs to go. He isn’t performing at all like he used to. Seems he doesn’t care anymore. He is love struck! He has side jobs to continue with,” another person wrote.
“He hasn’t been the same since being with Taylor Swift! Time to move on,” someone else added.
“When nothing seems to be working, Mahomes and Kelce seem to produce some magic!!! Don’t count him out just yet!” another person said.
“Age and partying has caught up with Mr. Swift,” someone else quipped.
It’s worth noting that Kelce has not indicated that he plans to retire after this season, but it’s certainly likely the Chiefs are proactive in searching for his successor.
