3 KC Chiefs players who could be nice surprises in ’23

La’Mical Perine, running back

As the Chiefs reconstruct their backfield for another season in Kansas City, all eyes are on Isiah Pacheco as he prepares to enter the season as the lead back for the first time. He already looked like a veteran rusher in his first year and that was after he was largely held back for the first half of the ’22 regular season.

Who will be on the depth chart behind him? And what will the competition look like? While further moves will be made and a draft class will be formed, the Chiefs might have a real surprise on their hands in La’Mical Perine.

Perine entered the league out of the University of Florida as a fourth-round pick of the New York Jets in 2020, but he flamed out after two lackluster seasons there with a 3.7 yards/carry average to show for his efforts in limited playing time.

But Perine’s value all along was going to be in two primary areas for the Jets (or any other team): 1.) as a special teams contributor and, 2.) as a pass catcher out of the backfield. The Jets’ offense was never going to make Perine look like Alvin Kamara, but they also never really gave him a chance to even add that wrinkle to the offense.

If Perine is going to surprise the Chiefs, it will be because he’s become a personal favorite of special teams coordinator Dave Toub and that he can do some damage with his hands out of the backfield. Perine could be a nice depth piece who excels doing the dirty work while providing security for any needs at scatback going forward.