![Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) walks off the field after losing to the Bills during an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Bills lead 10-7 at the half over the Jaguars. The Bills defeated the Jaguars 27-24. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,x_0,y_0,w_3477,h_1955/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/130/01kkm49ns8xs1e8eb105.jpg "Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) walks off the field after losing to the Bills during an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Bills lead 10-7 at the half over the Jaguars. The Bills defeated the Jaguars 27-24. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]")
The pre-free agency smokescreens tried to convince everyone that the Kansas City Chiefs were discount shopping at running back. With so many needs to address and with so little cap space, there was an argument to be made that K.C. would have to settle for second-tier options on the market across the board. But when the smoke cleared, the Chiefs were clearly in the luxury section.
Once the legal tampering period of free agency began, news broke K.C. had agreed to terms on a multi-year contract with reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III. It was one of the first massive signings for any team, and it gave the Chiefs the sort of weapon they've not had in the offensive backfield for nearly a decade.
Further reports, even after Walker's signing, however, make it clear that the Chiefs were not just zeroing in on the former Seattle Seahawks running back. They were also chasing the other big fish available, former Jacksonville Jaguars RB Travis Etienne. Per New Orleans Saints reporter Jeff Nowak, Etienne was also being wooed by the Chiefs and Denver Broncos.
That the Chiefs were interested in both Walker and Etienne reinforces the idea that general manager Brett Veach and the rest of the organization have been focused on making the ground game a central focus of the offense. It begins with the talent available, and the news that K.C. was shopping in that general aisle shows that it wasn't about a single player they were obsessed with. Instead it was about a desperation to upgrade at a needy position.
The pursuit of Walker (and Etienne) are breadcrumbs on a trail that has led to a massive running back overhaul all along. The Chiefs even said publicly that they knew they needed more talent at the positiion before the '25 season even started. From there, Veach attempted to trade for Breece Hall before the in-season deadline in early November, and had to be frustrated by the lack of production at the position by season's end.
By January, the Chiefs were embroiled in coaching staff changes that included the firing of running backs coach Todd Pinkston in exchange for former Oklahoma RB coach DeMarco Murray. Eric Bieniemy was given his old post as the Chiefs offensive coordinator after serving as the Chicago Bears running backs coach in '25. Isiah Pacheco then left for the Detroit Lions in free agency.
Everything that's transpired pointed to wholesale changes in the Chiefs' backfield. As it turns out, it wasn't just about Walker. Kansas City was ready to lure in whoever they needed in order to not repeat the mistakes of the past.