Danny Parkins hints at Chiefs trading up in 2025 NFL draft for tight end despite Travis Kelce’s return

NFL analyst Danny Parkins believes that there is a chance that the Kansas City Chiefs will select a tight end in the 2025 NFL draft.

On Friday, while discussing various NFL topics on "The Colin Cowherd Podcast," Parkins said that despite Travis Kelce returning, that does not mean that the Chiefs will not be looking for a long-term succession plan this offseason in the upcoming draft.

"This is the last year of Kelce, he's made it clear," Parkins said. "We don't know how much more Chris Jones has in him. Obviously, Mahomes is going to be there, and Reid will be there, and they're going to be good for a long time. But I could see the Chiefs trading up in the first round for a tackle. I could see that happening, or a tight end, yes, like, I just think I can see a big draft day move for the Chiefs to try to inject a blue chip offensive player."

Last season, Kelce had the worst statistical campaign of his NFL career in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Although the numbers were still solid for a TE, it was far off the expectations Kelce and his fans had from the future Hall of Famer.

He finished the regular season with 97 receptions, 823 receiving yards and three receiving TDs.

Who can the Kansas City Chiefs draft at tight end in the 2025 NFL draft?

The 2025 NFL draft class features several first-round TE options who can take over Kelce once he calls it a career.

In NFL draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah's 2025 NFL mock draft 2.0, two TEs were taken in the first round within the first 20 picks of the draft.

Penn State Nittany Lions' Tyler Warren was selected No. 7 overall by the New York Jets while Michigan Wolverines' Colston Loveland was picked No. 20 overall by the Denver Broncos.

While it is expected that Kelce will remain the starting TE of the Chiefs, having a season to learn from and develop behind Kelce would be beneficial to whoever would be drafted by the team, whether it's Warren, Loveland or another prospect who was not selected in the first round of Jeremiah's mock draft.