Just in time for the start of their season, the Chiefs have worked out an extension with Noah Gray. The tight end’s agency announced on Thursday a deal has been worked out. 
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes this pact is three years in length and has a value of $19.5MM. Gray will receive a $6MM signing bonus and $10MM in total compensation locked in at signing. He was set to enter the final season of his rookie contract, so today’s news means he will remain in Kansas City through 2027.
Gray logged a minor offensive role during his rookie season, but he was a core special teams contributor. He has remained a fixture in terms of third phase duties since then, but he has also chipped in on offense. The 25-year-old has posted back-to-back years with 28 receptions, totaling 604 yards and three touchdowns during that span. A similar workload should be expected for years to come.
The former fifth-rounder has shown to be an effective run blocker, and he even filled in as Kansas City’s long snapper for a spell last season. Gray has seen his special teams snap percentage drop with each passing season, but in 2023 that figure was 52% and he could continue to be a key presence in that respect moving forward. With Travis Kelce set to collect just over $34MM over the next two years, Kansas City has a pair of notable tight end investments on the books.
While Kelce is obviously set to continue handling a heavy workload in the Chiefs’ passing game, Gray could continue developing as a complementary option in that respect. The latter has averaged just under 11 yards per reception in both of the last two seasons. Of course, one of the defending champions’ key offseason priorities was adding at the receiver position, so Gray will have new competition for targets in 2024. His other offensive contributions have him set to remain on the field as a regular member of the unit, though.
Gray was set to carry a cap hit of $3.19MM this season; that figure could be altered by this extension. The Chiefs entered Thursday with just over $13MM in projected 2025 cap space, and keeping Gray in the fold will eat into that flexibility to an extent. Still, doing so has ensured a key auxiliary member of the team’s offense will not reach free agency next spring.