Welcome back to the Arrowhead Pride Mailbag! Each week, watch for your opportunity to submit your Kansas City Chiefs questions in The Feed, which is found on AP’s home page.
With one final game remaining in a disappointing campaign, let’s take a look at what’s on readers’ minds heading into Sunday’s matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders.
ServeProChiefs asks:
Why is running back Dameon Pierce not playing? The Chiefs beat out four or five other teams to sign him and he hasn’t played a minute. Did they make misrepresentations
to him upon signing? I don’t understand why it’s so hard to see some of these guys reach the playing field.
Pierce’s status has understandably raised questions since he joined the Chiefs in late November after the Houston Texans released their 2022 fourth-round pick.
There’s one thing we should remember about reports that Pierce chose Kansas City over several interested teams: national media coverage of released players often puts a positive spin on them. Frequently, agents are the primary sources for these reports; teams rarely go on the record about their level of interest. It’s also worth noting that Pierce was released after the trade deadline and subject to waivers — meaning that any truly interested team could have claimed him at minimal cost.
Another possibility is that the Chiefs reached a similar conclusion to the Texans. Kansas City’s running game has been difficult to watch, but by most metrics, Houston’s was slightly worse. Pierce struggled to see the field despite the Texans averaging just 3.9 yards per carry behind aging veteran Nick Chubb and rookie Woody Marks.
Pierce flashed during an impressive rookie season in 2022 before an ankle injury cut it short. Since then, he hasn’t resembled that version of himself. Failing to earn snaps on two of the league’s weakest rushing attacks may say more about the player than the coaching staffs.
Still, Kansas City did promote Pierce from the practice squad to the active roster. It wouldn’t be surprising if he suits up to close the season. At a minimum, the move signals goodwill — and an opportunity for Pierce to stick around into the offseason and show what he can do in training camp.
Victoryoverall4201993 asks:
What is the deal with wide receiver Jalen Royals? Looks like they are using him in the same role as JuJu Smith-Schuster: a blocking wideout. Maybe that’s because he’s only in on running plays? I would like to see him be involved more — just to see what he has. A target would be nice.
Royals’ early-season injury likely set him back more than many anticipated. His overlapping skill set with Smith-Schuster may have further limited opportunities — especially since the veteran stayed healthy for a full season for the first time since 2020.
There was also a clear disconnect between media evaluations and team assessments during the last draft cycle. After regularly appearing in second- and third-round mock drafts, Royals slid to Day 3, when Kansas City selected him 133rd overall. The jump in competition from Utah State to the NFL was probably a factor, too.
Perhaps the most puzzling aspect of Royals’ limited usage is that he never got a look as a kick returner, despite Kansas City’s lack of explosiveness on special teams.
Royals didn’t record a target or touch in Week 17’s loss to the Denver Broncos, but he did deliver a strong downfield block. That type of contribution can help a Day 3 receiver carve out a role. While it would be nice to see him get a few targets against the Raiders, whatever he shows in the offseason and training camp will matter far more than anything he does Sunday.
redchiefs asks:
Why isn’t guard Hunter Nourzad playing instead of Mike Caliendo? The Chiefs’ offensive line is struggling to pass block. Let some of the draft picks play! I don’t think it could be much worse.
Generally, I assume there are legitimate reasons behind playing-time decisions. That said, Caliendo playing over 2025 draft picks like Nourzad and C.J. Hanson is puzzling. He has often lined up between two tackles with little football experience — Esa Pole and Chu Godrick — and has been the offensive line’s weakest link on many snaps.
The most likely explanation is trust. Caliendo may be more reliable with communication — something that doesn’t show up in advanced metrics. With inexperience at both tackle spots, the Chiefs may feel more comfortable relying on him to ensure protections and calls are properly set.
Kansas City has worked Nourzad into select packages recently, often in a hybrid role that is somewhere between a sixth offensive lineman and a blocking tight end. His only extended action this season came during fourth-quarter cleanup duty in the blowout win over the Raiders earlier this year.
Head coach Andy Reid implied on Monday that right guard Trey Smith is unlikely to play Sunday. With offensive line depth likely an offseason priority, it would be encouraging to see Nourzad or Hanson get extended opportunities to make their cases.
OzarkEd asks:
Please explain fiasco of running back Elijah Mitchell.
Sometimes gambles pay off. Sometimes they don’t. A nearly identical situation played out in 2022 with Ronald Jones, who signed with Kansas City early in free agency and scarcely saw the field.
There was nothing inherently wrong with the process of signing Mitchell early in free agency. He had shown promise with the San Francisco 49ers, and the Chiefs brought him in on a minimal contract. Although the move didn’t work out, Kansas City paid him less than $1.8 million for the season — only about $600,000 more than the veteran minimum.
So I’m not sure that his signing is any more of a “fiasco” than the money I (fruitlessly) spent on PowerBall tickets last month.
I’m not really concerned about Mitchell’s signing. I’m more interested in how the Chiefs approach their inexpensive free agency signings in 2026. Salary cap constraints can be managed, but Kansas City won’t be able to fill every roster hole with high-priced veterans. The front office may also need to continue convincing players and agents that the Chiefs offer a fair opportunity to revive a career.
Ultimately, the Chiefs will need several low-cost signings to provide reliable snaps — something that Mitchell (apparently) couldn’t do.
Thank you for reading this week’s Arrowhead Pride Mailbag! Watch The Feed next week for an opportunity to ask your questions for our early offseason edition.
