The Chiefs have added running back Carlos Hyde to the roster. He adds a new element that Damien Williams doesn’t have. Here’s what I saw on tape.
The Kansas City Chiefs have added another running back on a team-friendly deal on Sunday with the signing of Carlos Hyde.
Hyde makes a ton of sense for the Chiefs offense. For a team that is already among the best offenses in the NFL, it is hard to add another dangerous element to the offense, but with the signing of Hyde, that is precisely what Brett Veach did.
Running back Damien Williams earned a two-year extension after an admirable effort in Kareem Hunt’s absence at the end of the season. Williams has a good skill set that compliments Hyde’s. After watching the tape, this is why Carlos Hyde makes a ton of sense for the Chiefs high-power offense.
Ability in open space/Shotgun formation
Something that immediately jumped off the screen in the tape was Hyde’s ability in space. More specifically, in shotgun formation, Hyde showcases his balance of speed and size.
In Hyde’s career from the shotgun formation, he has averaged 4.7 yards/carry which is considerably better than his career numbers under center. Here, Hyde shows why he has those kinds of numbers in the shotgun formation.
In space, Hyde can accelerate quickly. He gets to the second level and cuts inside without losing any speed. While he is not overly quick, his straight-line speed along with blocks in the open field is able to get him this solid rush attempt. Carlos Hyde is a different player in the shotgun. Luckily for him, the Chiefs ran roughly 80% of their plays out of the formation.
Ability to run through arm tackles
In the NFL today, tackling has become weaker. Perhaps it’s due to rule changes or other points of emphasis. Carlos Hyde makes people pay if they don’t put a shoulder into him and use good form. He exhibits this on this play.
Immediately off the snap, it appears that this play is going nowhere. Hyde is forced to run the opposite direction down the line. When he finds a window, he cuts through it. In the process, he is able to make one guy miss and break through two arm tackles. For the Chiefs, he adds an element of power that had been lost when they parted with Kareem Hunt.
Power and vision
It seems so often that a team will try to pound the football into the end zone when they get within the five-yard line. It seems just as often that these power run plays go nowhere. For Carlos Hyde, getting a few extra yards and powering through small windows is part of his craft. He has the power and vision that it takes to be a short yardage/ 3rd down back in the NFL.
On this play, Hyde sees that he cannot take the ball to the outside and have a shot at the end zone. So he quickly cuts back inside to take on a lineman. Because of his ability to fall forward and bounce off of tacklers, he is successful in scoring a touchdown.
Final Analysis
While Carlos Hyde is not the most exciting signing in the world, he makes an enormous amount of sense for a team like the Chiefs. The Chiefs offense features Williams who shows good burst and quickness. Now, to pair with him, the Chiefs bring in a guy that can play well in the weaknesses of Williams. Hyde has more power and is better in short yardage situations. He is worthwhile and necessary to the Chiefs current offense.
The signing of Hyde signifies that the Chiefs will not be in the sweepstakes for All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell and will likely not be drafting a running back early in the draft. As a tandem, Damien Williams and Carlos Hyde provide a new element of danger to the offense. On a one year deal, this was a solid signing by Chiefs GM Brett Veach.