4 available running backs who could help the Kansas City Chiefs

With Clyde Edwards-Helaire currently sick and Jerick McKinnon nursing a groin injury for the last couple of weeks, the Kansas City Chiefs are looking vulnerable in the backfield these days. That's not to say that they wouldn't be okay trying to skate through with the players they have now—or that names like McKinnon won't be ready to go when it's game time, but the rigors of a season can be tough to weather and it's always important to know who a team can call when a need arises.

Right now the Chiefs have young prospects like La'Mical Perine and Deneric Prince who they can call in case they need someone to step up in a pinch behind Isiah Pacheco in the next few days. But beyond that, it might be good to survey some longer-term additions if their own internal options won't do.

If the Chiefs want to add someone from the outside to bolster the running back spot on the roster, here are some names that are interesting for various reasons.

Darrel Williams, free agent

Given the way that the Chiefs have chosen to fill some short-term holes on the roster so far this season, it might make sense for general manager Brett Veach to turn to a familiar face to help out at running back.

Already this season the Chiefs have asked Darius Harris (and reportedly tried to get Ben Niemann) to help out with injuries at linebacker. If they wanted to do the same at running back, they could reach out to former Chiefs RB Darrel Williams who is in free agency.

Williams started this year with the New Orleans Saints in the preseason and it was a good bet with Alvin Kamara suspended for the first few games. However, Williams didn't make it to the active roster and he's been sitting and waiting for someone to call ever since.

Williams spent four seasons with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent out of LSU who landed a role on the team in 2018. From there, he climbed the depth chart and became a reliable contributor when others were inconsistent or injured. He set career marks with the team in 2021 in carries (144), rushing yards (558) and touchdowns (6) that season.

After spending the 2022 campaign with the Arizona Cardinals, Williams is already an impressive story as a five-year NFL veteran after going undrafted. But he could have a bit more if he came back to a team that knows how to use him. He already has 51 games of experience in the regular season alone with the Chiefs, and the team could do worse when trying to maintain quality depth in the backfield.