The Kansas City Chiefs gave another member of its offense a contract extension on Thursday. Hours before the Chiefs home opener against the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City extended backup tight end Noah Gray.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Gray agreed to a three-year extension worth $19.5 million.
Gray has slowly integrated himself into the Chiefs’ offense, coming up big for quarterback Patrick Mahomes as a receiving option and also being a major contributor as a blocker and doing lots of the little things that don’t show up on a stat sheet.
In a time where it’s getting close for the Chiefs to begin thinking about an eventual reality where star tight end Travis Kelce isn’t on the roster anymore, Kansas City wants to keep Gray as a potential variable that can compete for that role once it becomes available. The main reason the Chiefs drafted Gray in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft was how much his game resembled Kelce during his time in college.
Gray could already be leaning toward stepping into more of a starting role in 2024. Against the Ravens on Thursday evening, Gray was on the receiving end of a handful of crucial throws to keep some drives alive and finished with three catches for 37 yards.
Kansas City doesn’t need to worry about playing without Kelce yet, but extending Gray keeps the future bright at the tight end position while ensuring veteran depth that already knows and understands head coach Andy Reid’s playbook remains on the roster for seasons to come.
