C.J. Spiller, Jamaal Charles and the current state of the Chiefs running backs

All of this likely means that the Chiefs aren’t done making moves at the position, and it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see the team draft a running back, perhaps even in the early rounds. But Spiller still arrives with plenty of opportunity in front of him. If he’s healthy and fresh for some competition, Spiller could provide just that with his versatile skill set that once garnered over 1,700 yards from scrimmage in a single season.

Spiller entered the NFL with the knowledge that he could never be the workhorse for any team, but that’s not what the Chiefs would be asking him to do. Instead, he could occupy a Darren Sproles or Reggie Bush type of role in Andy Reid’s offense, as a speedy home run threat who could do damage out of the backfield or if given the ball in space. He’s got decent hands, which allows him to be a nice outlet for Alex Smith or whoever lines up under center for KC next season.

All of this is, of course, very wishful thinking, since Spiller was so readily available for a reason. Just this past year, he failed to hook on with the Seahawks and Jets so Spiller is a longshot by definition. Expecting anything other than roster fodder is unrealistic, but if it’s going to happen anywhere, Kansas City is not a bad place to try to make it happen. For Spiller, if the conditions are right, the door could be wide open for a spot on the active roster.