NFL Draft Pitch Lands Chiefs Their Travis Kelce Replacement

The Kansas City Chiefs enter Week 7 of the NFL season as one of two remaining undefeated teams. The other one is the Minnesota Vikings.

As the Chiefs are on a quest for a Super Bowl three-peat, there have been concerns on offense.

One of the biggest question marks has been the play of star tight end Travis Kelce. The veteran has been a staple in the Kansas City offense since coming into the NFL. In total, he has seven 1,000-yard-plus seasons and has been a favorite target for Patrick Mahomes.

However, Kelce has been struggling in 2024, catching just 24 passes for 228 yards while being held without a touchdown through the first five games.

With that, there have been talks of the Chiefs trying to begin the search for Kelce's replacement.

After Week 6 came to an end, CBS Sports' Mike Renner compiled a new NFL mock draft and predicted the Chiefs to select Michigan tight end Colston Loveland at No. 32 overall.

"After postulating for years about the Chiefs getting Travis Kelce's replacement, it feels like it's actually time to take that seriously," Renner wrote. "Loveland is the kind of tight end who can be featured in-line or split wide. He's a fluid athlete with a big catch radius."

Loveland is an intriguing pick for the Chiefs, and he has been steady at Michigan for the past two seasons. In 2023, Loveland had 45 catches for 649 yards with four touchdowns.

To begin the 2024 season, Loveland had 29 receptions for 261 yards and a pair of touchdowns, putting him on pace to set career highs in those categories.

The talent Loveland brings could be a perfect fit for the Chiefs, and drafting him would allow time to learn from Kelce as he begins to hang up the cleats for good.

Kelce just turned 35 years old at the beginning of October, so it could be time for the Chiefs to consider drafting a replacement.

Related: Travis Kelce Makes Admission About Struggles This NFL Season