Kansas City Chiefs trade idea: 49ers RB Carlos Hyde

All this week, we’re offering trade ideas for the Chiefs as they near the 2017 NFL Draft. Today’s idea? 49ers RB Carlos Hyde.

Kansas City Chiefs receive: Carlos Hyde
San Francisco 49ers receive: 2017 5th round pick (170 overall), conditional 2018 pick (depending on Hyde’s health)

The San Francisco 49ers, otherwise known as Cleveland West, are starting all over. They’ve committed an incredible six years to new general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan. The roster is expected to be entirely rebuilt in the image of the new leadership, as it should be, which means current veterans might be available at the right price. Does that include Carlos Hyde? It’s worth a conversation.

Hyde is a very talented back who was the team’s second round pick as recently as the 2014 NFL Draft. Despite his youth and high potential, Hyde is, however, entering into the final year of his deal. The current Niners regime has no ties to Hyde, so there’s no idea of investment there. That could be good news for the Chiefs who might want to buy low on a talented running back option.

The problem for Hyde is that he’s had significant problems staying healthy so far in the NFL. Just last year, he started a career-high 13 games after only starting 7 in his first two seasons in the league. Even now, Hyde is coming off of a torn MCL suffered in Week 16, so the Chiefs (or any team trading for Hyde) would be swapping for damaged goods. Hence the reason why the 49ers might be inclined to move on from the oft-injured back.

However, let’s not forget how talented Carlos Hyde can be, even in the NFL. Hyde isn’t just living off of college memories from Ohio Statethese days. He’s still a real threat in running lanes to move the chains as a tough runner. The Niners gave defenses little room to leave the box last year, yet Hyde had 988 rushing yards on 217 carries for a 4.6 yards/carry average and 6 touchdowns. Hyde also caught 27 of 33 passes thrown his way for another 163 yards and 3 touchdowns.

For the Chiefs, Spencer Ware has proven himself to be a capable rotational back who, when fresh, can be a threat as a ball carrier and receiver. However, he wore down considerably as the season progressed and Charcandrick West wasn’t the tandem partner he was the previous year. West, in fact, turned into a below-average running back for the Chiefs who also watched Jamaal Charles and Knile Davis enter free agency. For now, Ware is the only sure thing in house, which means the team is likely to add multiple new running backs this offseason.

This means a move for Hyde doesn’t preclude the team from drafting a running back in this very talented class. However, a deal for Hyde could keep them from having to invest anything up top in the first two rounds, freeing them up to focus on their quarterback of the future and more problematic spots like linebacker and cornerback or even tight end.

A running back stable that featured Carlos Hyde and Spencer Ware as the top two with a developmental back a la Toledo’s Kareem Hunt from the draft would be one of the league’s better units, and Andy Reid’s offense would have a tougher new dimension in play—a flavor that’s not been there before.

As for the price, a 5th round pick might not seem like a lot for Niners fans, but for a currently injured player entering the last year of his deal with his sort of injury history, it’s a nice pick-up in a draft that’s much deeper than most. One team’s third round is another team’s fifth rounder this season, so the Niners should be able to add a useful piece even at No. 170 overall. The plus side is that if the Chiefs threw in a conditional 2018 pick as well—let’s say one as high as another fifth if Hyde stays healthy—then they continue to add draft value next year for a player long gone.

For the Chiefs, a fifth rounder is highly unlikely to make the team anyway at this point, so coupling two of them together for a man atop the depth chart at running back presents an ideal buy-low option while still giving Dorsey a chance to bolster the position in the draft.