Injuries could force Kansas City Chiefs to sign veteran running back

The Kansas City Chiefs are looking banged up in the backfield. They have the bye week to rest, but will they still be forced to check out some options?

Damien Williams was forced to leave with a rib injury. LeSean McCoy left to be evaluated for a possible concussion. It didn’t take long for Andy Reid to realize his cupboard in the Kansas City Chiefs backfield was looking a bit barren with only Darrel Williams left among his active options.

During the Chiefs win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 11, the team suffered a few injuries that will carry over into the upcoming bye scheduled for Week 12. The Chiefs now get a full week away from the game to rest, relax, and recuperate as best as they can before shifting the attention to the Oakland Raiders in Week 13.

The bye week will be a good time for McCoy to be able to relax without practice or game conditions while in the league’s concussion protocol. Williams will be able to rest his rib injury more than normal. Together, it’s possible that both players could return without missing a single play—thanks to a well-timed bye and the potential short-term extent of their injuries.

But here’s the thing: we don’t know anything about their conditions just yet. A rib injury could persist for quite some time, and a player in concussion protocol could return the very next week or remain out for several games (e.g. Mitch Morse). It’s possible that even one week from now, the Chiefs realize that Damien Williams and LeSean McCoy, the two primary backs in their rotation, aren’t going to be available in an important division showdown.

Darrel Williams is certainly a capable back who has proven to be productive at spelling the veterans. It also helps that Darwin Thompson is present on the active roster. He was inactive on Monday, which is why you didn’t see him suit up against the L.A. Chargers. Is that tandem good enough to carry into the Raiders game as the team hopes either Damien Williams or McCoy could be ready for the following week (the New England Patriots)?

Another interesting note here is that the Chiefs carry a fullback while most rosters do not, which could give them a third back if needed. Perhaps it’s this roster flexibility that will keep the Chiefs from having to play musical chairs on the roster in order to add someone healthy. In all honesty, the pickings in free agency are pretty slim as is, so any addition is unlikely to be an inspiring one.

Still no team wants to find itself against the wall due to a lack of proper preparation. If both backs are out for a week or maybe more, it would not surprise anyone to see general manager Brett Veach at least kick the tires on some free agents by bringing them into Arrowhead for a workout.