One glaring issue for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025 was the lack of a run game.
Not only that, the Chiefs didn't have a speed element to it, meaning it was easy for defenses to clog up the running lanes for Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco.
With both struggling to produce much in 2025, the running back position is one the Chiefs have to fix, with Pacheco and Hunt free agents.
And if you wanted any further evidence of how bad the Chiefs' run game was, former NFL back Maurice Jones-Drew ranked all 64 starting running backs in 2025, and Hunt came in at No. 33 while Pacheco ranked 47th.
"The Chiefs didn't have much of a run game in 2025 as the team shuffled through backs frequently," Jones-Drew wrote. "An injury to Isiah Pacheco led to Hunt gaining a bigger role, and he ended up leading the team in carries, rush yards and rush TDs. Hunt is a free agent and so is Pacheco. This backfield needs a reset."
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Given that Pacheco and Hunt are free agents, will the Chiefs bring back one or both?
Or will they look to add a more explosive back like Breece Hall or Travis Etienne, who are also free agents? The NFL Draft is also a possibility with Jeremiyah Love being selected by the Chiefs in several mock drafts.
Either way, Patrick Mahomes, who will be coming off an ACL injury, can't be expected to shoulder so much of the burden.
Imagine having a running back that Mahomes can hand the ball off to 20+ times and only throw 20-odd times in a game as the Chiefs win?
That might be the recipe needed in 2026.
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