The best remaining free agents for the Kansas City Chiefs
Running Backs
The Chiefs don’t have much behind Clyde Edwards-Helaire at the running back position. Even if you believe CEH is cemented as the starting running back and primary ball carrier (and many aren’t sold on that) there is definitely a need for another established running back on this roster to provide competition/depth/etc.
Could the Chiefs target someone in a trade? Sure. Could they draft another running back in the draft? Yes, but I think they need another proven guy to give carries to and there are several that could be had without making a major financial investment at the position.
Splash Signing: Leonard Fournette
Leonard Fournette is probably the only guy left on the market that would come in as the clear starter over CEH. The rest of the options on the list would provide competition. Would Fournette be great in KC’s offense? Yes. Will the Chiefs choose to spend enough money on a running back to make this possible? I kind of doubt it, but Veach has surprised me before.
Smart Re-Signings: Darrel Williams, Jerick McKinnon
I think bringing back either Darrel Williams or Jerick McKinnon is the most likely move we see the Chiefs make. Neither one should be very expensive, they both know the offense, and they both have been productive in K.C. Personally, I would be in favor of signing one of these two and then taking a flier on a running back in the mid-rounds of the draft and letting them all compete in camp. It would be a cheap way to address the position.
Other Guys Available: Melvin Gordon, Sony Michel, Tarik Cohen, Marlon Mack, Phillip Lindsay
Would all of the players listed above improve the Chiefs running back situation? Yes. Will I be doing cartwheels with excitement over any of them? No, but they would all be good signings if they were relatively inexpensive. I think paying any of them over $5 million per season would be a mistake.
There are other running backs out there on the market, but after the players listed above, I think they would largely just be roster fillers that would be clear backups to CEH as opposed to quality competition for a role in the offense. Before we move on to the defense, let’s touch briefly on a few other options on offense.