If there’s a startling amount of hope for Jake Briningstool among Kansas City Chiefs, there are good reasons. And that goes far beyond Briningstool’s own history of solid production and reliable talent.

In fact, the promise for undrafted tight ends on the Chiefs—and this includes Tre Watson as well as Briningstool, even though he’s starting camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list—is found in the team’s impressive history of identifying and developing talent at the position. That starts with the best to ever play the position in starter Travis Kelce and runs through a proven history of unearthed gems.

Jody Fortson

Originally a wide receiver at Valdosta State, Fortson was a raw prospect when he signed with the Chiefs in 2019. He converted to tight end and spent years developing on the practice squad, gradually earning a role behind Kelce. Fortson was a solid red zone target who should have enjoyed even greater production than he did if injuries had not clouded the picture.

Deon Yelder

Yelder went undrafted out of Western Kentucky and landed with the Saints before Kansas City scooped him up. Though never a featured part of the offense, Yelder provided valuable depth behind Kelce from 2018 to 2020 and appeared in 26 games.

Demetrius Harris

Harris was a true project when the Chiefs signed him after the 2013 NFL Draft as a college basketball player with no college football experience. He eventually developed into a reliable No. 2 tight end behind Kelce over five seasons in K.C., with 57 receptions, 605 rec. yards, and 6 touchdowns in 80 games. His athleticism and effort turned him into a multi-year contributor, proving the Chiefs could really work magic at the position.

Nick Keizer

An undrafted free agent out of Grand Valley State, Nick Keizer began his professional journey with the Baltimore Ravens before catching on with Kansas City in 2019. He worked his way up from the practice squad and earned a 53-man roster spot in 2020, appearing in 16 games (including 8 starts). Though never a major target in the passing game, Keizer earned more reps than anyone could have expected and played a vital role as a blocker and special-teams performer.

Hope for Briningstool and Watson

Of course, Briningstool and Watson aren’t entirely dependent upon Chiefs coaches to do the heavy lifting. The former, in particular, was surprisingly undrafted in April and was a dependable target in the Clemson Tigers’ offense for the last three seasons with 124 catches for 1,313 yards and 16 touchdowns.

A look back across the last several seasons yields multiple contributors at tight end who started as roster long shots. That should provide some real fuel for the current rookie free agents hoping to make their impact felt.