Kenneth Walker has changed the look of the Chiefs’ backfield, and he may end up changing a lot more than that.
The new running back arrived in Kansas City with a high-dollar contract, and after a week that paid both Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson and Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs north of $22 mill per year, that deal looks a little more manageable. But the real question for the Chiefs isn’t the price tag. It’s whether Walker can give them the kind of complete backfield answer they’ve been missing.
Kansas City tore up its running back room this offseason after finishing dead last in explosive rushing yards on non-scrambles and 31st in avoided tackle percentage. That kind of production leaves no room for comfort. A better ground game would help Patrick Mahomes, and if the run game gets easier, so does everything else.
Walker is the centerpiece of the rebuild, with free agent Emari Demercado, rookie Emmett Johnson and second-year Brashard Smith also in the mix. But the whole operation still runs through Walker, and training camp is really about figuring out how far the Chiefs can push him.
Two things stand out.
First: who handles short yardage now?
That was a strength for Kansas City last season, even though the overall rushing attack was flat. The Chiefs converted 71.8% of third- or fourth-and-short situations into first downs, second-best in the league.
Kareem Hunt was the engine there. He turned 34 of 40 short-yardage tries into first downs, an 85% success rate, and no other running back in football matched his production in that role.
Hunt is gone, and the Chiefs have to replace what he brought. Walker looks like a clear upgrade as a lead back, but short yardage has not been his calling card.
He had zero short-yardage runs last season. Zero.
Seattle used Zach Charbonnet in that spot, and even had tight end AJ Barner taking quarterback sneaks while Walker watched from the sideline.
That may sound like a narrow issue, but the Chiefs know how valuable those snaps are. Hunt ranked sixth in the NFL in total EPA because he kept converting when everyone in the stadium knew what was coming.
Kansas City kept feeding that formula until the wheels came off. Now it needs another answer, and Walker looks more and more like the player who could take on a much bigger share of the backfield.
The second question is the one that could matter just as much: who becomes the third-down back?
Walker was brought in to change the running game, but that only helps the offense indirectly. The Chiefs also need him to affect the passing game.
That role has been a major clue to how productive Kansas City has been. In 2025, the Chiefs ranked 21st in scoring, and rookie Brashard Smith led the backfield with only 172 receiving yards.
In 2024, they finished 15th in points with Samaje Perine leading the group at 322 receiving yards. In 2023, they were again 15th in scoring, with Isiah Pacheco pacing the backs at 244 receiving yards.
When the Chiefs were at their best, the receiving back was a real weapon. Jerick McKinnon had 512 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 2022, and Kansas City led the NFL in scoring. A year earlier, Darrel Williams posted 452 receiving yards and the Chiefs ranked fourth in scoring.
That kind of production is part of the identity when this offense is rolling.
It has also been part of camp early on. The Chiefs have been throwing to their backs often, including on designed plays, and the screen game could become a weapon again.
Walker has been a central figure there, while Smith and Demercado have also worked plenty with the starters in St. Joseph.
Walker did not get a ton of chances as a receiver in Seattle, but he made his touches count. He finished with 282 receiving yards, which ranked 18th among running backs, while also finishing sixth at the position with 9.1 yards per catch, third in yards after the catch per reception and ninth in yards per route run.
The ability is there. The opportunity might be, too.
Kansas City brought Walker in to carry the load, and the contract points in that direction. If he can handle both the physical work and the passing-game responsibilities, he can raise the level of the offense.
But that means more than just being a better runner. It means taking on a bigger role everywhere the Chiefs need him.
In Other News...
Peter Woods Could Change Everything For The Chiefs Defensive Front
Kansas Citys defensive front already had plenty of intrigue, and the addition of Peter Woods only adds to it. Taken with the 29th pick in the 2026 draft, the defensive tackle joins a room that also includes Khyiris Tonga, Omarr Norman-Lott and Chris Jones, giving the Chiefs another high-end body to develop up front. Woods was once viewed as one of the top tackle prospects in his class, even if his final college season brought a dip in production.
For the Chiefs, the question is less about the talent and more about how quickly it translates. Woods brings the kind of upside that can reshape a defensive line if he settles in, but rookie seasons rarely follow a straight line, especially for interior linemen asked to adjust to the pro game. There is optimism here, of course, but also some reason for caution as Kansas City tries to turn a promising draft pick into a real difference-maker. [Read more 🡒]
Former Chiefs Fans Remember Are Running Out Of NFL Chances
Several familiar names from last seasons Chiefs roster are still looking for jobs as the offseason winds down and teams trim toward final rosters. Kareem Hunt, Deon Bush, Mike Edwards and Janarius Robinson are among the veteran defenders and backs who remain unsigned, a reminder of how quickly the NFL can move on even from players who were part of Kansas Citys recent plans.
Hunts situation stands out because he led the Chiefs in rushing in 2024 before not being brought back this offseason, while Bush and Edwards are left navigating a shrinking market for veteran safeties. Robinsons path is a little different, with the defensive end working back from injury and already drawing interest elsewhere, but for all four players the common thread is the same: late summer is arriving, rosters are filling, and the list of realistic opportunities is getting shorter. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Rookie QB Is Giving Fans A Reason To Pay Attention
Garrett Nussmeier is getting his first real taste of life in Andy Reids offense, and training camp has given the Chiefs a better look at what their seventh-round quarterback can handle. Learning behind Patrick Mahomes in a system as demanding as Kansas Citys is no small assignment, but Nussmeier has already flashed enough in practice to make himself part of the conversation, including a scoring drive that stood out during drills.
For a late-round rookie, the challenge is less about making noise and more about stacking steady progress before the preseason arrives. Nussmeier has leaned on the football background he grew up around, with his father, Doug Nussmeier, helping shape that foundation as a former NFL quarterback and now the offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints. The next step is translating those habits into more consistent camp reps, and that is where the attention around him will keep building. [Read more 🡒]