The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off another deep playoff run, but one area that continues to lag behind their championship-caliber standard is the ground game.
Last season, the Chiefs ranked 25th in rushing yards per game - a number that doesn’t quite match the standard set by Patrick Mahomes and the high-flying Kansas City offense. While the offensive line shares some of the blame, it’s clear the backfield is in need of a spark. With both Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt headed for free agency, this offseason presents a pivotal opportunity for Kansas City to retool its running back room.
One name that’s starting to gain traction in the rumor mill? Breece Hall.
The dynamic Jets running back is set to hit free agency, and there’s growing buzz that the Chiefs could make a serious push to bring him to Arrowhead. According to Pro Football and Sports Network’s Ryan Guthrie, Kansas City nearly pulled the trigger on a deal for Hall at the trade deadline. Now, with a clean slate and a need for more explosiveness in the backfield, the fit is hard to ignore.
Hall isn’t just a between-the-tackles runner - he’s a legitimate dual-threat weapon. His ability to catch passes out of the backfield would give Mahomes a safety valve with real home-run potential, especially as the quarterback continues to manage his workload following last season’s injury concerns. Hall’s presence would force defenses to account for another layer of the Chiefs’ offense, stretching coverage and opening up even more opportunities for Mahomes to work his magic.
And let’s be clear: Hall would be an immediate upgrade. While Pacheco brought energy and physicality, and Hunt offered veteran savvy, Hall brings a different gear - the kind of burst and versatility that can take a good offense and make it elite.
He’s coming off his first 1,000-yard season, a feat made even more impressive considering he did it on a Jets offense that struggled to find rhythm all year. Plug him into Andy Reid’s system, with Mahomes under center and a creative playbook at his disposal, and you’ve got the makings of a breakout year.
That said, this isn’t a simple plug-and-play scenario. The Jets may not let Hall walk without a fight.
There’s a real possibility they use the franchise tag to retain him - a move that would complicate any pursuit by Kansas City. If that happens, the Chiefs would not only have to negotiate a long-term deal (Spotrac projects that could land around four years, $41 million), but they’d also need to part with draft capital in a trade.
That’s a steep price, even for a player with Hall’s upside.
So the question becomes: how far is Kansas City willing to go to fix its rushing attack?
If they believe Hall is the missing piece - a player who can take pressure off Mahomes, add explosiveness to the offense, and help tilt the field in January - then it might be worth the investment. But if the cost climbs too high, both in dollars and draft picks, the Chiefs may need to look elsewhere.
Either way, one thing is clear: Kansas City knows it needs more from the run game. And with a generational quarterback in his prime, the time to make that move is now.