The latest
Walker had 14 carries for 20 yards on RPO play calls.
That’s it.
The Chiefs are changing who will be running the football — and, ideally, how they’re running the football.
Or at least they better, if they want to take advantage of the skill-set of the player who will cost them $45 million over the next three years. (You don’t spend $45 million without knowing what has made the player great.)
It would
make far less sense to ask Walker to completely change what’s made him successful than it would for the Chiefs to change something that has driven so little of their success.
Walker spends more time in the backfield than literally any other running back in football, per Next Gen Stats. He isn’t exactly a straight downhill runner, averaging 3.19 seconds to cross the line of scrimmage, highest in the NGS decade-long era.
He’s different than what the Chiefs employed a year ago.
The Chiefs needed a different talent. But they also need a modification to the running scheme.
3) Brett Veach: The Chiefs GM proved that he’s going to continue being as aggressive as ever when it comes to improving this team. The Chiefs were better off agreeing to that McDuffie trade because: 1) It wouldn’t make sense to pay McDuffie at that level, given their salary-cap constraints, and 2) This team needs an infusion of young talent if it wants to resume contending for championships. Veach came into the offseason holding just six picks in this year’s draft. He’ll now have nine to work with, including the ninth and 29th overall, and the $13.6 million in cap room he’ll save with the McDuffie deal will come in real handy, given how the first day of the free agency negotiating window went. On Monday, Veach grabbed the best running back on the market, Kenneth Walker III, who is signing a three-year deal worth up to $45 million.
Chiefs free-agency reset: What’s left to accomplish after busy Day 1? | The Athletic
Moves the Chiefs did not make
The Chiefs had two talented guys from their 2022 draft class sign elsewhere.
That included cornerback Jaylen Watson, who joined recently traded Chiefs teammate Trent McDuffie with the Los Angeles Rams. Safety Bryan Cook, meanwhile, chose to return to his hometown when he agreed to a three-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Perhaps surprisingly, the Chiefs also lost backup quarterback Gardner Minshew to the Arizona Cardinals on a reported one-year, $5.75 million deal. The Chiefs signed New Orleans Saints QB Jake Haener this offseason but will likely need another veteran there with Mahomes still rehabbing from injury and not a 100 percent certainty to start Week 1.
K.C. has also not yet addressed perceived depth needs at edge rusher and cornerback. Some of that work, however, could be saved for next month’s draft, too.
Why did Chiefs sign Kenneth Walker III, and what’s next? | ESPN
The Chiefs haven’t spent premium picks or money on running backs in recent years. Why did they commit to Walker?
Walker’s contract is set to become one of the largest deals for a running back in league history, including the most guaranteed money in free agency. This decision shows us just how much the Chiefs wanted to improve at the position to regain their status as a Super Bowl contender. The Chiefs no longer want quarterback Patrick Mahomes to bear the sole burden of lifting the offense with highlight-worthy moments.
Walker’s postseason success was alluring to the Chiefs. The 25-year-old can produce explosive runs behind right guard Trey Smith, center Creed Humphrey and left guard Kingsley Suamataia. And with Mahomes’ gifted right arm, Walker shouldn’t face many loaded boxes that include eight defenders, giving him space to create missed tackles when he reaches the open field. — Taylor
He’s an underrated asset as a pass-catcher, too. That’s something the running game has lacked in recent years in Kansas City, once Jerick McKinnon left. He’s caught 133 receptions on 161 targets, catching 82.6% of passes thrown his way during his NFL career. Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes will really like that aspect of his game.
Let’s not forget his Super Bowl and playoff experience this past year. He had three consecutive games of over 100 scrimmage yards. That’s the type of piece that can help Kansas City get back to where they want to be, and if they pair him with the right help, it could quickly help this team’s running back room ascend to one of the NFL’s best during the 2026 NFL season.
At the end of the day, Walker making some big plays in the running game can force teams out of the two-high coverage shells they love to use against the Chiefs and open up the passing game in a way they just haven’t been able to. This isn’t just a fix for the running game, but also a fix for the offense’s overall identity.
Grade: A-
Around the NFL
Star WR Mike Evans leaving Buccaneers to sign with 49ers | ESPN
Star wide receiver Mike Evans is leaving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to sign a three-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers that is worth up to $60.4 million, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The deal includes $16.3 million guaranteed.
“The Buccaneers made it clear they would have loved for Mike to finish his career in Tampa and potentially become just the fourth player in franchise history to spend his entire career as a Buccaneer and ultimately walk into Canton representing the organization,” agent Deryk Gilmore said in a statement.
“Mike Evans’ decision to leave Tampa was never about money. The Buccaneers were extremely aggressive in their pursuit and presented a very strong offer, demonstrating how much they value him and everything he has meant to the franchise. In the end, this decision simply came down to Mike wanting a new challenge and a fresh opportunity while he still feels he has a great deal left to give the game.
Top 101 NFL free agents of 2026: Ranking the best players available | NFL.com
Rank 6: Trey Hendrickson
Edge · Age: 31Only one season removed from finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting, Hendrickson hits free agency again, this time as a 31-year-old coming off core muscle surgery. He’s a boom-or-bust signing for a team looking to get over the hump.
Rank 19: Rasheed Walker
OT · Age: 26A seventh-round pick in 2022, Walker kept fending off challengers for his bookend spot in Green Bay. He’s probably league average as a starting left tackle, which is worth plenty.
Rank 24: Romeo Doubs
WR · Age: 26Doubs does everything well as a complementary receiver, especially catching difficult throws. He’s the type of workmanlike wideout who too often is underrated because he lacks flashy traits.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
Chiefs receive 5th round compensatory pick to total 9 draft selections
As expected, the Kansas City Chiefs were awarded an additional fifth-round selection (176th overall).
Compensatory picks are awarded to teams that have a net loss of players in unrestricted free agency. Over the Cap had long projected the Chiefs’ eventual fifth-round selection. The site estimates Kansas City’s qualifying departures in last year’s free-agent cycle as defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton, safety Justin Reid and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Kansas City subsequently signed two qualifying players in tackle Jaylon Moore and cornerback Kristian Fulton.
Wharton and Moore were projected to cancel each other out, as are Hopkins and Fulton. That left the Chiefs qualifying for a fifth-round selection, compensating for Reid signing with the New Orleans Saints.
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