Kansas City Chiefs fans were hoping that Brett Veach would do what he hasn't in years past and finally fine-tune the backfield. After all, how long can this team lean on the likes of Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt?
Fortunately, Veach listened. The Chiefs signed Kenneth Walker to a three-year deal on the first day of legal tampering and followed that up with a depth signing on Thursday, inking Emari Demercado to a one-year contract.
With two new faces joining the Chiefs' rushing attack, what will the depth chart look like at running back now? Let's take a look.
RB1: Kenneth Walker
Duh. The Chiefs didn't swing big with Kenneth Walker to not have him in the lead back role. Unless he's injured or has to miss time for another reason, he's going to be RB1. The reigning Super Bowl MVP is hopefully the missing piece to the puzzle for the Chiefs on their quest to get back to the Super Bowl in the 2026 season.
RB2: Emari Demercado
Emari Demercado is the newest addition to the Chiefs' backfield, and while he'll have a chance to compete for the RB2 job, he'll have to compete for it in training camp. Demercado went undrafted out of TCU and found a home with the Cardinals, where he rushed for 819 yards and 3 touchdowns along with hauling in 324 receiving yards and one touchdown in three years.
RB3: Brashard Smith
The Chiefs spent a seventh-round pick on Brashard Smith in last year's draft, and while he got some playing time later in the season, fans were clamoring for him to be featured all along. Smith ultimately finished his rookie year with 44 carries for 151 yards while catching 25 passes for 172 yards and a score. He might get a shot to compete for the backup job this summer, but if the Chiefs add another running back in the draft, Smith could fall further down the depth chart.
RB4: ShunDerrick Powell
It's okay if you don't know who ShunDerrick Powell is. The Central Arkansas product spent a small amount of time with the Eagles in 2025 after going undrafted, but he was cut in the final wave before the season. The Chiefs signed him to a futures contract earlier this year, and while he's RB4 right now, if the team adds any more players at running back, he's a candidate to fall off the roster.