Chiefs plan to let Kareem Hunt, Spencer Ware compete for RB reps
By Matt Conner
The Kansas City Chiefs plan to let competition take care of the battle atop the depth chart for running back.
Two years ago, Spencer Ware was the pleasant surprise as an effective next man up in the wake of Jamaal Charles being injured. Last year, Ware was clearly the Kansas City Chiefs best option at running back as Charles continued his attempts to return to form. This season, the shadow of Charles is officially gone, but the Chiefs have brought in new competition nonetheless in the form of Toledo running back Kareem Hunt.
The Chiefs traded up to select Hunt in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft and general manager John Dorsey praised the young back following Day 2, saying he was the best available rusher after the draft’s top tier was taken. That means the Chiefs likely had Hunt listed on their draft board just below Leonard Fournette, Dalvin Cook, Christian McCaffrey and maybe Joe Mixon. It’s impossible to say for sure either way, but it was clear from Dorsey’s quotes that he was excited to have Hunt on the team.
Despite the excitement about Hunt or the experience in Ware’s corner, Dorsey said that the Chiefs’ strategy will be to allow both men, along with holdover running back Charcandrick West and the newly signed veteran C.J. Spiller to head to training camp and see how things come together as the coaches begin their work.
More from Arrowhead Addict
- Multiple Chiefs execs mentioned as strong GM candidates in 2024
- Former Chiefs cornerback in legal trouble in Las Vegas
- Chiefs Kingdom: Get ready to break contract news
- Chiefs news: Travis Kelce wants to host fan ‘chug-off’ in Germany
- Podcast: Breaking down the Chiefs biggest roster battles
“Now you let them compete,” said Dorsey after Day 2 of the draft. “You let them see how they fall fit together as a unit. I think that’s the best exercise moving forward to see how that works.”
The approach might frustrate fantasy football owners who would love to know for sure if one player or another will get the majority of the reps, but until the Chiefs know what they have in Hunt, it’s silly to proclaim him as higher or lower on the depth chart at this point. Ware has proven himself dangerous out of the backfield, yet he clearly faded down the stretch. It remains to be seen whether or not Ware will come back rested and ready for an entire regular season run.
The same can be said of Hunt, however. The pre-draft process doesn’t allow a first-year player to rest that much from his final college season, and the grueling pace of the NFL season can be tough on rookies. Rest will be key for both players, so perhaps a tandem along with help from the aforementioned competition will keep the Chiefs running back stable healthy and effective even if one particular dominant player doesn’t emerge for some time from the bunch.