2022 NFL Draft: Five problem-solving running backs for the Chiefs
By Jacob Milham
Pass-rusher. Wide receiver. Defensive back. These are all the positions fans know the Kansas City Chiefs should address during the 2022 NFL Draft. National analysts say it, local ones detail it further. These needs are no secret. Those are only a handful of positions needed for the regular season though.
The draft is an exciting period for many teams. Underperforming teams have the opportunity to load up on college football’s best players. Players will be heralded as the next big thing without playing a single snap. This is rightfully an optimistic time for several fans.
The three previously stated needs are glaring, but an underestimated need is running back. The Chiefs did address the position this offseason, adding Ronald Jones and tendering Derrick Gore this offseason. Both bring different skill sets to the team. Jones features best as an early-game back, running between the tackles and grinding yards. Gore is best used for outside runs and screens but has not been an every-down back in his career. Former first-round selection Clyde Edwards-Helaire started 10 games in 2021, but injuries and inconsistent play keep his outlook low for 2022. Kansas City could take a platoon approach in 2022, as no rostered backs are reliable rushing and receiving threats for head coach Andy Reid.
The Kansas City Chiefs have several needs to address in the 2022 NFL Draft. If need be, there are some running backs who fit in Kansas City.
With only three rostered backs, Kansas City should look to add more before the 2022 season. Any additional running backs may or may not make the final 53-man roster, as the position has a lot of turnover. For example, Kansas City had six running backs on the initial 90-man roster but only carried three on the 53-man roster in 2021. The Chiefs have those three right now, but should that prevent the team from drafting a running back? Absolutely not.
Jones and Gore are both on one-year deals, and Kansas City should not count on them for Kansas City. Similarly, Edwards-Helaire’s rookie contract ends after 2023. So, the running back cupboard looks bare within two years. An easy way to ensure continuity is by selecting a running back in the 2022 NFL Draft. The selection should not be extremely high unless an exceptional prospect falls down the board. A player like Iowa State’s Breece Hall or Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker III is enticing, but Kansas City has bigger needs to fill when those players will likely be selected.
Any Chiefs running back draft prospect has to meet two qualifications: scheme fit and realistic draft selection. The running back class this year is thin after the top prospects go, which could decrease the Chiefs’ chances of drafting one. But, there is still a chance. Which prospects would be a good fit in Kansas City?