Former Chiefs running back Darwin Thompson signs with Seahawks

Former Kansas City Chiefs running back Darwin Thompson has found a new home in the NFC West with the Seattle Seahawks. The team announced the signing on Wednesday as Thompson lands a reserve/futures contract, meaning he will join the team’s official roster when the league allows them to expand to 90 players at the start of a new league year.

Thompson is now joining his third NFL team after also spending time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in between stints in Kansas City.

The Chiefs might have been interested in further competition from Thompson this offseason if the Seahawks had not signed him away. Given that Darrel Williams and Jerick McKinnon are both set to hit unrestricted free agency in March, the Chiefs aren’t exactly flush with current options in the backfield. In addition, Derrick Gore is an exclusive rights free agent (ERFA), meaning the Chiefs have a decision to make there as well.

Darwin Thompson has signed a futures contract with the Seattle Seahawks.

The Chiefs landed Thompson in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft as a one-year wonder out of Utah State after spending time in the JuCo ranks. Thompson had put up big numbers of 1,044 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in his only season with a robust 6.8 yards per carry average. Thompson eventually won second-team All-Mountain West honors.

With the Chiefs, Thompson failed to ever really stand out in two seasons with the team. In those two seasons, he averaged only 3.5 yards per carry with 64 total carries for 225 yards and 2 touchdowns. During that time, he was bypassed by several others on the depth chart and he was eventually waived last August before final roster cuts were due.

Thompson spent last season on the Bucs’ practice squad but was released near year’s end. Thompson then re-joined the Chiefs practice squad as insurance for a backfield wrestling with numerous injuries.