THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS may have found Travis Kelce’s long-term replacement during their rookie camp.
Kelce, 35, is one of the greatest stars to ever play for the Chiefs as he’s won three Super Bowls during a stunning 12-year stint with the franchise.
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And the tight end confirmed he is coming back for one more season with Kansas City despite last term’s Super Bowl heartbreak against the Philadelphia Eagles.
But the NFL star will have a very different role with the Chiefs off the field this coming season.
Thus, Andy Reid’s side is planning ahead for a potentially new era at the club.
And Jake Briningstool could be the man to step up to the plate and fill in a massive gap veteran Kelce would leave behind.
According to the Chiefs’ senior team reporter Matt McMullen, Briningstool, 22, has shone bright during the team’s practice camp.
The tight end stood out in the second day of training with an “impressive” display.
The Tennessee prospect made two of the day’s top plays with a pair of leaping catches deep downfield despite good coverage.
Kelce’s new role was recently revealed by Chiefs general manager Brett Veach.
Veach said: “You’ll see Travis have more of an impact. Maybe it’s not in production but it’s the offense.
“The numbers won’t be the same. I mean, you have to acknowledge a certain aspect of that, right?
“I don’t know if I look at it in terms of expectations for yardage or touchdowns or catches.
“I think that when he’s on the field now, he makes us better. And I think that he’s also a guy that makes the people around him better.
“And when you have a guy that’s that connected with a quarterback, it’s almost like a little bit of him and Pat [Patrick Mahomes] are a conductor for everybody else.”