Travis Kelce’s updated retirement timeline might not make the Chiefs happy

The Kansas City Chiefs received what is ostensibly great news on Thursday. Travis Kelce told reporters that he has "at least two more good years" left before retirement. At 35, Kelce inked a two-year, $34.3 million extension this summer, which makes him the highest-paid tight end in football. A well-deserved title.

If we take Kelce at his word, he is at least playing until the end of the 2025 campaign, when his new contract happens to expire. Kelce has also noted his desire to "play until the wheels fall off," however, so we cannot ascribe a hard two-year limit to his remaining days in Kansas City. Kelce could put three, four more years under his belt before ultimately hanging 'em up.

There's no way to know for sure, which is slightly alarming for those who purchased Jared Wiley stock this summer. A fourth-round pick out of TCU, Wiley was viewed upon his selection as a potential heir to Kelce's role in the Chiefs' offense (or some semblance of his role). The fifth-year senior posted 47 receptions for 520 yards and eight touchdowns in his final collegiate campaign. At 6-foot-7 and 255 pounds, he has prototypical physical tools for the position.

Now, Wiley is on the back burner for... a while. The Chiefs just extended backup tight end and utilityman extraordinaire Noah Gray on a three-year, $18 million contract. Reps will be few and far between for Wiley to start his career. In fact, there's a good chance he doesn't emerge in a consistent role until the very end of his rookie contract.

New Travis Kelce retirement timeline could throw off Jared Wiley's career arc

Look, tight end depth is helpful, and a fourth-round pick doesn't generally qualify as the most consequential of investments. Still, the narrative yarns spun after the Wiley pick were prolific. Kelce, entering his age-35 season, has started to show signs of decline. He's enjoyed his summer away from football. The podcast business is booming. What if he decided to quit early?

Well, that appears less likely that it did a couple months ago. That doesn't mean Wiley can't carve out a role with a strong work ethic, but Kelce is going to remain Patrick Mahomes' favorite target until the proverbial wheels fall off. That essentially keeps Kelce on the field for the majority of offensive snaps, with Gray cemented as TE2 due to his blocking skills and general versatility. The window of opportunity for Wiley these next couple years — at least — will be extremely slim.

It's silly to sit here and express any sort of panic about the Chiefs' development plans for a fourth-round rookie tight end. This is a team looking to three-peat and make NFL history. Andy Reid is in win-now mode and he won't lose sleep over letting a rookie stew on the pine. Such is life on the NFL's best team.

Still, as the financial roster crunch takes effect in Kansas City, it's important for the Chiefs to maximize what few assets they do have. Burning a day-two pick on a tight end who may not see the field much until the end of his contract feels like a potential misfire.