The Kansas City Chiefs are set to officially begin OTAs on Tuesday, and it’ll be the first real opportunity to see numerous offseason acquisitions take on some of the more established veterans with the organization.

All eyes are on the rookie class understandably, though signings like left tackle Jaylen Moore and Kristian Fulton stand to impress as well. That said, there’s one recent addition who is already facing an uphill battle before OTAs even begin.

Veteran tight end Robert Tonyan was signed to the practice squad back in December and after briefly being released, re-signed on a one-year deal in March. He’s got plenty of experience, even recording a season with 11 TDs back in 2020, yet Kansas City’s loaded tight end room is going to make it difficult for Tonyan to crack the roster after training camp, so he needs to start impressing the coaching staff right now.

Chiefs TE Robert Tonyan Facing Uphill Climb at OTAs

Still only 31 years old, the 6-foot-5, 240-pound Tonyan was originally an undrafted free agent for the Green Bay Packers and worked his way up the depth chart. Unfortunately for him, injuries and general ineffectiveness have limited him to just 11 catches over the last two seasons.

Now, he’s trying to revive his career with the Chiefs. Travis Kelce and Noah Gray are firmly entrenched as the top two tight ends, so Tonyan could theoretically become the third-stringer. However, 2024 fourth-round pick Jared Wiley stands in the way. Wiley is still recovering from the torn ACL he suffered last year and won’t be at OTAs, though he’s expected to be ready for training camp. If Wiley shows he’s healthy, it’s hard to imagine the organization turning its back on a younger pick they’ve invested more into with draft capital.

Guys like Peyton Hendershot, who suited up for seven games in 2024, could stand in the way as well, depending on whether the Chiefs bring him back this summer. Tonyan is a more accomplished pass-catching option, though Hendershot has familiarity with the system.

Regardless, Tonyan will have to do enough to show that he should be ahead of Wiley. It’s possible that head coach Andy Reid keeps four tight ends, but it’s certainly unlikely. These OTAs represent Tonyan’s best chance to separate himself and we’ll see if he can take advantage of the opportunity.