The Kansas City Chiefs' first- and second-string running backs are hitting the open market and need to revitalize the run game.
One of the main problems with the Kansas City Chiefs was their inability to have an effective run game throughout the season.
The duo of Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco combined for just 1,073 yards on 281 carries, with Hunt rushing for 611 yards on 163 carries while playing the full season. Pacheco missed four games, allowing rookie Brashard Smith to log 44 carries for 151 yards.
The best rusher on the Chiefs was star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who rushed for a career-high 422 yards on 64 carries in 14 games. That’s a major problem, considering Mahomes ended up getting hurt at the end of the season on a rushing attempt.
After undergoing surgery to repair multiple torn ligaments in his left knee, Mahomes likely won’t be approaching that number of carries this season, and he shouldn’t have to. One reason he was forced to run more often was because outside of him, the Chiefs couldn’t move the ball on the ground.
That needs to change, whether it’s by drafting the top running back in the draft class with the ninth pick or signing a big-name free agent, prioritizing a better run game should be the main offensive goal this offseason.
If Kansas City opts to pay for a top free agent running back, expect the team to go after former Jacksonville Jaguar Travis Etienne Jr. ESPN’s Matt Bowen thinks he would be the best fit for the Chiefs.
“Etienne has the play speed to upgrade a Chiefs run game that ranked 25th last season (106.6 yards per game),” Bowen wrote Tuesday. “And with his dual-threat ability as a pass catcher, Etienne would be schemed on screens and backfield releases in coach Andy Reid's system. This is a move to add more juice and big-play ability to the Kansas City offense. Etienne's 26 rushes of 10 or more yards with Jacksonville tied for 12th in the NFL last season.”
Etienne’s ability to be a reliable receiver in the backfield creates many options for Mahomes and the offense. He bounced back in a big way after splitting touches with Tank Bigsby in 2024, producing the third 1,000-yard rushing season of his four-year career.
Etienne played all 17 games as the go-to RB in 2025 and rushed for 1,107 yards and seven touchdowns on 260 carries to go along with 36 receptions for 292 yards and six touchdowns.
The 27-year-old holds onto the football and would be a massive upgrade over Hunt and Pacheco, who are also free agents and likely won’t return to Kansas City.