Brett Veach has started the offseason with a major impact. After years of watching a below average backfield, the Kansas City Chiefs have upgraded their ground game with the reported signing of Kenneth Walker III.
NFL reporter Tom Pelissero broke the news that Walker was heading to Kansas City to kick off the league's legal tampering period to kick off free agency.
In 2025, Walker played in all 17 regular-season games for the first time in his career and rushed for 1,027 yards and 5 touchdowns on 221 carries. He also added 31 receptions for 282 receiving yards.
It was in the postseason that he became a household name during Seattle's Super Bowl run, as Walker rushed for 313 yards across three playoff games. He led all postseason players in both rushing and total scrimmage. And in Super Bowl LX, Walker carried the ball 27 times for 135 yards and was named Super Bowl MVP in the process.
The Chiefs have completely changed course with their approach to running back with the signing of Kenneth Walker III.
The Chiefs backfield has been among the most ineffective units for the last few seasons, so it's not a surprise to see it as a primary focus coming into a new offseason. Last year, a running backs room that included Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt as its primary tandem contributed only one 20-yard run or more on offense. Instead the unit depended on small gains that a defense never had to respect, meaning the Chiefs RBs were even worse when you consider the light boxes they were facing.
Both Pacheco and Hunt are unrestricted free agents, which means the Chiefs had a golden opportunity to reset the position and they've taken advantage. Coming into a new league year, former seventh-round pick Brashard Smith was the only halfback under contract. It's possible the Chiefs could bring back a familiar face, including Hunt as a short-yardage specialist or Dameon Pierce after a late-season run as a healthy scratch. But what was needed were new names atop the depth chart.
Walker and Smith are now the backs in K.C. with more activity to come. But even without making any further moves, it's clear the Chiefs have seriously upgraded their biggest weakness just minutes into the start of free agency.