The K.C. Chiefs backfield looks a bit too thin headed into training camp for a full season.
The argument has already been made—both around here and elsewhere in Chiefs Kingdom—many times.
On Sunday, NFL reporter Aaron Wilson noted that the Houston Texans were working out free agent running back Cam Akers as the team prepares to bring together the full roster for this year's training camp.
Akers is a bit of a mixed bag at this point, a player who has suffered multiple major injuries during his short tenure in the National Football League, leaving his employers to move on from depending on him despite being drafted as recently as 2020. After playing a single game in his sophomore season and another 7 last year, his track record for durability is not all that hot.
That said, Akers is still only 25 years old and came into the league as a second-round pick of the L.A. Rams because of his strong potential and ideal fit in today's modern passing offenses. He's also proven capable of coming back to be productive after putting in the work of recovery. In '22, he had 786 rushing yards and 7 scores in 15 games as part of the Rams' RB committee just one year after a torn Achilles.
For the Texans, the team has already remade the position this offseason with the acquisition of Joe Mixon from the Cincinnati Bengals, who will be supplanted by Dameon Pearce when he needs a rest. Jawhar Jordan was a sixth round product taken in this year's draft and other competitors include Dare Ogunbowale and J.J. Taylor.
The Chiefs have the top of the depth chart covered like Houston with Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire waiting in the wings, but the loss of Jerick McKinnon in free agency (who is still available by the way leaves the Chiefs too young and thin at a position of importance—especially for a team expected to play approximately 20 games this season.
Akers is the sort of low-risk signing for a single year (a la Hollywood Brown among wideouts) that Brett Veach should be chasing in the hopes of unearthing some disproportional value down the road. The likes of Emani Bailey, Deneric Prince, Hassan Hall and more aren't enough to move the needle when decent options like Akers are still searching for a home.
Again, no one is expecting Akers to show up and shoulder some significant load, but Chiefs Kingdom has seen first-hand just how many injuries the team can expect to suffer out of the backfield. Pacheco himself has required multiple surgeries in a given year. Signing one more experienced player with solid upside makes more sense than going with some fringe roster guys so early in camp.