The Kansas City Chiefs registered only 49 rushing yards in their Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. While getting behind big early in the game forced them to stop running the ball, the Chiefs struggled to run the ball all season, not just in the Super Bowl.
The Chiefs finished this past season averaging the 11th-fewest rushing yards per game in the National Football League. They were dangerously close from finishing amongst the worst rushing teams in the league, but their winning masked the issue.
Luckily for the Chiefs, they have options on how to address the position. Priyanshu Choudhary of the Pro Football Network recently released his list of the possible destination for veteran J.K. Dobbins who most recently played for the Los Angeles Chargers.
“This placement depends on how Isaiah Pacheco looks heading into the season. Last year, an injury sidelined him for much of the season, forcing the Chiefs to rely on Kareem Hunt as the starting running back. That can’t be Andy Reid’s long-term solution,” Choudhary said.
“With Pacheco struggling to return to form, the Chiefs could look in a different direction. Landing Dobbins would be an ideal move, giving them a legitimate ground game behind Patrick Mahomes while also weakening a division rival.”
Choudhary noted that the biggest hurdle Kansas City will face in adding Dobbins or any other player is the fact that they already have much of their money accounted for by players currently on the roster. Choudhary pointed out that contractual issues could be a deterrant.
“However, making the salaries work will be tricky for Kansas City, which already has one of the most expensive rosters in the league. Paying a premium for a running back might not fit into their immediate plans,” Choudhary said.
The Chiefs have the best quarterback in the league on their roster but paired him with one of the worst ground games in the NFL. Kansas City must do a better job of surrounding Mahomes with talent at the skill positions if they hope to remain among the best.
As great as Mahomes is, even he needs help from quality teammates in what is considered the ul
timate team game.
