The Chiefs may not need to look far to find a possible fix for a quiet but real roster issue. When Kansas City hosts the Rams on Saturday to kick off preseason, the headline names might barely see the field. The more interesting work will happen lower on the depth chart, where one Rams tight end could end up fitting a Chiefs need.
That tight end is Davis Allen, and the Rams’ crowded room is putting him in a tricky spot. Colby Parkinson and Tyler Higbee already occupy two of the key jobs, while the Rams have also spent premium draft capital on Terrance Ferguson in 2025 and Max Klare in 2026.
That kind of investment makes the room deep, but it also squeezes out someone. Right now, Allen looks like the odd man out.
Allen entered the league as a fifth-round pick in 2023, and he’s now in a contract year without much room to show more than he already has. If the Rams can’t keep him, they may have to waive him or try to get something back through a preseason trade.
Bret Stuter, site expert for Ramblin' Fam, said Allen’s production has been limited more by opportunity than by ability. "While not the home run hitter, Allen has been better than his late Round 5 draft selection might suggest; he has been victimized by too few targets among an ever-increasing crowd of tight end teammates," said Stuter. "He has hauled in 40 of 57 targets in the past three seasons for 342 yards and four touchdowns.
"The problem with Allen is twofold. He is simply too good at blocking to be featured as a pass catcher in this offense.
And he is competing with five players who are at least as talented as he is, or better. And so, the fifth player is unlikely to make this roster, and will surely be claimed on waivers if he is earmarked for a practice squad role."
That profile makes Allen especially interesting for Kansas City. The Chiefs have Travis Kelce as the obvious centerpiece in the passing game, Noah Gray brings reliable hands, and Jared Wiley is still trying to build on a rookie season wiped out by injury. But if Kansas City wants a tight end who can really help the run game, the group as constructed doesn’t have that kind of force.
The Chiefs have been looking for a solid blocker at tight end since Blake Bell held down that role as the third option. Gray and Wiley may be able to cover enough elsewhere to make it work, but if Kansas City wants a true answer in that spot, Allen is a player worth watching closely on Saturday.
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