When he was drafted in 2022, Kansas City Chiefs seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco told reporters, "I'm ready to take another grown man's job." That's exactly what the Rutgers product did in his rookie season, supplanting Clyde Edwards-Helaire as the starter for a team that would go on to win two consecutive Super Bowls.
Now entering his third season, Pacheco is cemented as the starter in Kansas City. Edwards-Helaire is back in 2024 on a one-year deal. But then what?
Pacheco brings electrifying energy and an alluring combination of power and speed to the table. Most would agree the 25-year-old is among the top 15 running backs in the sport. But it would be foolish to ignore the fact that injuries and attrition are a part of the game, so a contender would be responsible to consider what they would do in the event that a starter goes down. And that is where the Chiefs have a major concern.
The Kansas City Chiefs are less than 4 weeks from traveling to training camp, but have major depth concerns at running back.
The depth in this year's running back room should leave most Chiefs fans feeling concerned. The Chiefs' primary third-down back in recent years, Jerick McKinnon, has not been retained. Pacheco and CEH are not well-known for their pass-blocking skills. While an injury to Pacheco would not be catastrophic, it would put the Chiefs in a position of being more one-dimensional than they want to be (even though that dimension involves one of the greatest to ever operate in Patrick Mahomes).
So what else is in the cupboard?
The Chiefs still have Deneric Prince, an undrafted free agent in 2023. They also have Louis Rees-Zammit, a former rugby star who is in his first year of playing professional American football. While Rees-Zammit is a tempting athlete with the ball in his hands, there is no reason to suspect he can handle pass protection at this juncture in his career. Keaontay Ingram is a holdover from last year's practice squad and has some potential.
There are also two undrafted rookie free agents in the fold, Emani Bailey and Carson Steele. Bailey looks like Edwards-Helaire in stature, but runs more like Pacheco. Bailey is also a willing blocker. Some wonder if the 230-pound Steele can make the roster as a fullback, but regardless of how he is used within the offense, it is Steele's pass protection that could be what helps him make the roster.
These names do not seem like enough to the average viewer. Most fans will look at the list of available free agents and suggest that someone like Cam Akers or Joshua Kelley would be worth a flyer. Of course, former Chief Kareem Hunt is still without a team, but it's doubtful he will reunite with Kansas City.
The fact that the Chiefs are standing pat at the position should tell us they are comfortable with one of two things: either they feel pretty good about someone on the roster as a dark-horse RB3, or they are confident they'll be able to add a player before cut-downs in late August. My prediction: Emani Bailey surprises and makes the roster as the third running back.