Chiefs Could Still Have Depth Issues At Running Back
· Yahoo Sports
The Kansas City Chiefs have solved their big problem at running back, with Kenneth Walker III expected to carry most of the load as the Chiefs try to make the transition to actually having a running game. It’s not going to be easy, but Kansas City is going all-in on this, mostly because they don’t really have a choice with quarterback Patrick Mahomes coming off knee surgery.
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But the Chiefs may not have solved the whole problem at this important position. They have added some depth options, but a close look at the situation from Pete Sweeney of the Kansas City Star revealed that the Chiefs may still have some issues behind Walker.
Start with Emari Demercado. He’s a wild card who offers athleticism, but his calling-card play last season was a long run that should have resulted in a touchdown, but Demercado started celebrating too early and a teammate dislodged the ball before the running back crossed the goal line.
The ball then rolled out of the end zone, and rather than a touchdown, the Arizona Cardinals had a touchback, with the Tennessee Titans getting the ball at the 20 yard line.
That’s exactly the kind of mental and physical error that will infuriate the Chiefs’ new offensive coordinator, Eric Bieniemy, going forward, so it remains to be seen if Demercado can control his tendencies in that direction.
If he can, there’s potential to be mined. As Sweeney noted, his career numbers include 126 carries for 819 yards, a head-turning 6.5 yards per carry. Demercado also has compiled 50 career receptions for 324 yards. As a pass protector, he allowed just eight pressures on 99 blocking opportunities, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Chiefs also drafted Emmett Johnson out of Nebraska, and on paper this is a good move. The fly in the ointment will be Johnson’s reliability in pass protection, as the Chiefs are going to be shifting to an offense that prioritizes that at a high level. But rookie running backs typically struggle in that area, so it remains to be seen if Johnson can get on the field.
Finally, there’s Brashard Smith, who’s undersized. It feels like he’s about to be relegated to a role as a returner, but there’s no real clarity about that possibility right now. The Chiefs also haven’t signed Kareem Hunt for some reason, which is surprising given that Hunt was reliable as a short-yardage back and he’s reliable in pass protection as well.