Backup for Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is presumably “not coming back.”

With the 2024 NFL season approaching, the Kansas City Chiefs are trying to strengthen their roster. They won’t be very active in free agency after re-signing Chris Jones to a five-year, $158.57 million contract extension. However, they are moving.

The news that Irv Smith Jr., a former tight end with the Cincinnati Bengals, is joining the Chiefs was first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Tuesday, March 12. According to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, Smith will ink a one-year contract worth $1.3 million.

Although Smith’s signing isn’t a major story, it seems likely that tight end Blake Bell will leave Kansas City.

Bell, who was selected by the Chiefs in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft, recently concluded his fourth season there. Following the Chiefs’ 2020 Super Bowl victory

r Bowl, he played with the Dallas Cowboys for a season before going back to Kansas City in 2021. He inked a $1.2 million, one-year contract with the Chiefs in March of last year.

Bell had just five receptions for 26 yards and a touchdown at the end of the regular season, trailing only starting tight end Travis Kelce and Noah Gray in the depth chart. Supporters call him “The Belldozer,” yet he primarily contributes as a blocking tight end and special team member.

P.J. Green of Fox 4 KC commented, “I’m assuming Blake Bell won’t be returning. Irv Smith Jr. was praised for his athleticism when he was picked by the Vikings and then by Cincy, but since then, he has shocked everyone with his blocking abilities. Chiefs might genuinely receive some

helpful TE3 reps this season.

While his co-host, Alex Gold, tweeted, “Blake Bell is retiring isn’t he,” 610 Sports KC’s Cody Tapp referred to Smith as “The Blake Bell replacement.”

Chiefs Kingdom won’t miss the 32-year-old veteran’s small contributions to the team. Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star pleaded with the Chiefs to grant him free agency.

According to McDowell, “the backup tight end job in Kansas City isn’t what it used to be.” There is a little bit more labor involved. The Chiefs are attempting to give Travis Kelce more plays off by utilizing more tight-end setups. They’ll be requesting more from these locations.

But off the field, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Wilson and Bell’s wife, Lyndsay Bell, became close friends.

Brittany Mahomes, Mahomes’ spouse. She also became close to Taylor Swift, Kelce’s girlfriend, during the previous season.

Smith’s signing may indicate that the Chiefs intend to play a larger 13-man roster in 2019. Charles Goldman of AtoZ Sports stated of the 25-year-old, “He’s had less than 100 total blocking snaps in each of his past two seasons, but he was used more frequently and effectively as a blocker in his first two years with Minnesota.”

Smith is more of an H-Back type who can align on the wings in the backfield, in contrast to Bell. He might even end up being Andy Reid’s fullback. Although he has never had a season with more than 365 receiving yards, he is still a talented receiver. Smith has 109 receptions for 979 yards and 10 touchdowns in his four seasons in the NFL.

“His worth as a recipient appears to come from the range of positions he can align himself in, particularly as you enter the red zone.