Ravens have problems against Raiders, Vikings win over 49ers
Prince Grimes analyzes all the ups and downs of the second week of the 2024 NFL season.
Sport in Seriousness
The Kansas City Chiefs earned a walk-off win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2 to improve their season record to 2-0, but the victory came at a price. The Chiefs lost their starting running back Isiah Pacheco to a broken fibula.
Pacheco was injured when the third-year running back awkwardly bent over backwards on a 1-yard run in the game’s final minutes. He left the field and the stadium on crutches and in walking boots.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Pacheco’s injury will keep him out for 6-8 weeks, which will keep him out until at least Kansas City’s Week 9 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov. 4. So until then, the Chiefs will need to put together a proper rotation of running backs to complement Patrick Mahomes.
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The Chiefs are already missing their backup Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who was placed on the NFI (Non-Football Illness) list before the season and will be out until at least Week 4. This leaves the Chiefs with just two healthy running backs on their 53-man roster, and neither has been a three-down starter in the NFL.
That’s one reason the Chiefs will host veteran running back Kareem Hunt on Tuesday. They need to think about adding depth to their thinning backfield.
Chiefs RB depth chart after Isiah Pacheco injury
After Pacheco’s injury, the Chiefs have only two healthy running backs on their 53-man roster. They are:
Perine is an eight-year veteran that the Chiefs signed prior to the season after he was released from the Denver Broncos. Perine has developed into a top-notch third-down back, so he will likely see plenty of playing time catching passes and as an all-around talent out of the backfield.
Still, Steele could be ahead of Perine in the rotation as a runner between the tackles. The undrafted rookie has nine carries for 27 yards in the first two games, while Perine has just two catches for 13 yards. That could indicate that Andy Reid wants to use Steele on early downs and Perine in passing situations.
Regardless, these two will handle most of Kansas City’s workload, although the Chiefs still need a third running back for game-day duties.
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Kansas City has several candidates for that role on its practice squad. The team could use Keaontay Ingram – a 2022 sixth-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals who has 134 yards and a touchdown on 62 carries in his career – or Emani Bailey, an undrafted free agent from TCU, as a third option behind Perine and Steele. That could be their preferred course of action if they believe Edwards-Helaire can return to action in Week 5.
But the team can also look for experienced options outside the organization and will do so during Hunt’s visit on Tuesday.
Kareem Hunt reportedly visits the Chiefs on Tuesday
The Chiefs will bring in veteran running back Kareem Hunt on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. That doesn’t guarantee Hunt will sign with the Chiefs, but the 29-year-old would give the team a proven, experienced backfield leader while they wait for Pacheco and Edwards-Helaire to return.
Kansas City originally selected Hunt in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, and in his rookie season, he led the NFL in rushing yards with 1,327. He looked like he was going to be a star for the Chiefs, but he was released during the 2018 season after a video of him throwing a woman to the ground and kicking her went viral.
Hunt signed with the Cleveland Browns in the 2019 offseason and remained there for the next five seasons. He served primarily as a backup behind Nick Chubb and surpassed the 1,000 scrimmage yards mark only once.
Still, Hunt would give the Chiefs some much-needed experience in the backfield. He has rushed for 1,030 runs in his career, nearly twice as many as Perine, Steele, Ingram and Bailey combined (525).
And while Hunt’s 411 yards on 135 carries in the 2023 season aren’t overly impressive, he did score nine rushing touchdowns for the Browns, which could allow him to carve out a position on the goal line in Kansas City.
