The Kansas City Chiefs desperately needed to address the running back position and did that by signing RB Kenneth Walker III.
The Kansas City Chiefs had an abysmal 2025 season that saw the team win just six games and lose its star quarterback to a devastating knee injury.
The Chiefs watched two-time Most Valuable Player Patrick Mahomes tear two ligaments in his left knee during its Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, the loss that officially booted Kansas City from the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.
Mahomes was hurt on a play where he scrambled trying to pick up a key first-down conversion to keep his team’s season alive, and I believe this freak injury was the result of having to run more often than usual last season.
Running backs Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco were mostly ineffective all season long. The two of them combined to log just one run that went 20 yards or more, so the need for an explosive running back was apparent.
Kansas City opted not to trade a third-round pick for New York Jets dual-threat star RB Breece Hall at the trade deadline last season, which would have helped the offense tremendously, but the Chiefs held onto their pick and eventually missed the postseason.
The Chiefs could ill-afford to go into the 2026 campaign without solving its RB problem, and general manager Brett Veach did just that when he signed the reigning Super Bowl MVP. Kansas City signed former Seattle Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III to a three-year, $43,05 million contract with $28.7 million guaranteed to kick off free agency with a bang.
Not only was inking Walker to a deal of the utmost importance, but the Chiefs were able to bring in a backup QB in case Mahomes won’t be ready for Week 1, trading for Jets QB Justin Fields.
“Winning the sweepstakes for Walker was a big boost to the roster,” ESPN’s Nate Taylor wrote Wednesday. “Although the Chiefs lost several contributors on defense, they were still able to find suitable starters by adding [Alohi] Gilman and [Khyiris] Tonga. Even adding quarterback Justin Fields was a cheaper salary decision than retaining veteran Gardner Minshew.”
Walker will be a force with the Chiefs as long as the run scheme is altered to fit his strengths, and there had already been discussions between head coach Andy Reid and Chiefs brass regarding a change.
Although the biggest offensive problem has been addressed, the Chiefs need help at defensive end. Edge rusher George Karlaftis had a down-year last season and the Chiefs need a lot more out of him if the defense wants to get home to the QB more frequently than it did in 2025.
“The expectation is that the Chiefs will target upgrading that position in the draft. Behind Karlaftis, the depth is somewhat thin, with only Ashton Gillotte and Felix Anudike-Uzomah.”
Considering the Chiefs won’t be attempting to draft Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love with the ninth-overall pick, going defensive end there instead seems like a no-brainer at this point.