The Kansas City Chiefs have found their groove on offense after a shaky start to the season, reeling off three wins in their last four games and getting a key boost from the return of wide receiver Rashee Rice.
But while Patrick Mahomes has gotten the passing game back on track, the Chiefs are still struggling to establish a consistent counterpart in the running game. Mahomes remains one of the team’s most effective rushers, but one insider believes the team could find some expert help ahead of the NFL trade deadline.
Chiefs Could Swing Big at Running Back
Reporter Karl Rasmussen of SI.com put the Chiefs as one of the frontrunners to land New York Jets running back Breece Hall, who is rumored to hit the trade block. The winless Jets are likely moving into a rebuild, and Hall could be one of their best candidates to garner draft capital in return.
Rasmussen noted that Mahomes still leads the Chiefs with 222 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns, leaving some big questions for the running game.
“The tandem of Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt had left plenty to be desired through the first six games of the season,” Rasmussen wrote. “Although Pacheco found pay dirt with his first rushing touchdown of the year in Week 7, the ground attack is an area of concern for a Kansas City side with Super Bowl aspirations.”
While Pacheco and Hunt may be starting to ramp up, Rasmussen added that neither adds much to the passing game — a problem that Hall could solve. The fourth-year running back is a consistent two-way target for the Jets, racking up 171 receptions and 1,456 receiving yards with eight touchdowns in his career. Hall has never topped 1,000 yards rushing but has still amassed 2,781 total yards and a healthy 4.6 yards per rush for his career.
Rasmussen speculated that the Chiefs could have a bigger target in mind, but Hall could end up being a more realistic addition.
“Alvin Kamara would be another enticing option for the Chiefs to pursue at the deadline, though the Saints running back made it abundantly clear he has no interest in being traded,” Rasmussen wrote. “If Kamara isnât available, Hall would be a great target for the team.”
Chiefs Unlock New Offense With Rashee Rice’s Return
The Chiefs had already been starting to click in the passing game, but took it up another notch with Rice’s return in the 31-0 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The team’s top receiver served out his six-game NFL suspension and made a big return with two receiving touchdowns.
After the game, Mahomes offered some praise for Rice and hinted that the team would continue to increase his role in the offense.
“I think you saw, he gets so much attention because he is such a special football player,” Mahomes said. “Whenever you get the football to him, he makes stuff happen. So it was good to get him back out here and get the offense rolling. We’re running at a high level all we can do is continue to get better and better. We’re gonna keep working, keep trying to get better. Keep incorporating Rashee and everybody else, and see where we can get to.”
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