While looking ahead to the NFL draft most Kansas City Chiefs fans are understandably focused on the future of the quarterback position. However, if they really want to impact the team in 2017, a quarterback isn’t the best position to do so. That distinction (in this writer’s humble opinion) would go to the running back position. Before you head straight to the comments to yell at me, I’m not saying that I don’t want the Chiefs to invest in a quarterback, I do. I’m just saying that a rookie running back would impact the team THIS SEASON more than a developmental quarterback would. Ideally, I’d like them to come away with both in the early rounds. The 2017 draft is strong at the running back position and the Chiefs could walk away with a day one starter at the position with either of their top two picks (and possibly even in the third round). While my post last week centered on the first round quarterback options, this week I’ll take a look at which backs the Chiefs could target in the first couple of rounds.
Before we delve into the “who” when it comes to KC drafting a running back early in this draft, let’s take a second to address the “why”. While quarterback is without a doubt the most important position on the offense, my belief is that the Chiefs are all but locked into Alex Smith being the starter in 2017. I don’t want to turn this post into another debate on Smith, but I will say this: If Alex Smith is the focal point of the KC offense there are definite limitations to what that offense can achieve. However, if the running game becomes a central focus of the offense that takes some of the pressure off of Smith and could increase the effectiveness of KC’s offense, especially come playoff time.
While I am a fan of Spencer Ware, I felt it became clear that he is more of a “solid” player that does his job as opposed to a player that changes the game. I don’t think opposing defenses were overly concerned with stopping Spencer Ware in 2016. That means they can focus more of their time on making life harder for Alex Smith. That isn’t what we as KC fans want. So I would propose that the Chiefs need to add a playmaker at running back this offseason to change that dynamic for the coming season.
I will pause for just a moment here to address Jamaal Charles’ future in Kansas City. I believe that because of his injuries and age you simply can’t rely on JC anymore and because of that you can’t have his contract on the roster. The chance of his once great upside returning is just too slim to risk paying a huge salary and risking him being an absolute non-factor again this season. Simply put, the Chiefs can’t afford to gamble the needed improvement to the run game on Charles. It’s depressing to say, but its time to move on and find someone new that can help the team.
Could the Chiefs find a solid running back that could contribute as a rookie and split time with Ware in the middle rounds of this coming draft? Yes, they could, but once again I will argue that the Chiefs don’t just need another contributor but an impact player. Traditionally those are found in the earlier rounds and that is why I am advocating for the Chiefs to draft a running back early in this draft.
So now let’s move on to who should they target?