Chiefs position battles: Sorting the depth chart behind running back

DeAndre Washington

When the Chiefs first signed DeAndre Washington to a one-year deal, it was an interesting signing because it felt like the running back room was already devoid of any clear winner atop the depth chart. Given another solid pass-catching back, it looked like the Chiefs were willing to roll with another year of a committee approach, perhaps allowing Washington to replace McCoy in the preseason competition.

Then came the selection of Edwards-Helaire which disoriented the whole room and made it clear the Chiefs were going to say goodbye to some talented names come September.

Now that Damien Williams has opted out, the running back room is a bit more open, but that doesn’t mean that Washington and company are safe. At least one back will be waived at the active roster deadline, and perhaps more, but it bodes well for Washington to be more well-rounded than most observers likely realize—those who call him a scatback and nothing more.

Washington has spent the last four seasons with the Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders, serving as a backup to guys like Marshawn Lynch and Josh Jacobs. In his earliest seasons, Washington was primarily a third down back, but just last season, he edged out Jalen Richard for reps as a primary rusher when Jacobs went down. He finished the year with 108 attempts for 307 rushing yards and 3 scores. He also caught 36 passes for 292 yards.

It doesn’t hurt that Washington was a college teammate of Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech, but Washington’s talent is more than enough to merit a spot on the Chiefs roster. He’s a dependable back who is a threat to run as well as catch the ball so it shouldn’t surprise anyone to see him nab one of the final positions on the depth chart.

Odds to make the team: Excellent