The Kansas City Chiefs’ offense has fallen off a cliff. This decline began in 2024, but it’s reached a point where it’s almost unrecognizable. They no longer have an identity they can rely on. Their offense has become stale due to their dependence on their franchise quarterback.

We’ve seen how directionless they’ve become without Patrick Mahomes, and it’s clear that this team needs a hard reset in the offseason. Travis Kelce may have just played his last game at Arrowhead Stadium, and Andy Reid may be on his way out as well. What kind of playmaker do they need in order to get back to their offensive dominance that once shook up the entire NFL?

2026 NFL Mock Draft

FOX Sports put together a mock draft now that the end of the NFL regular season is near, and they steer away from making any bold predictions on behalf of the Chiefs. Jeremiyah Love’s name has been linked to the Chiefs in plenty of mock drafts before, and with their need at running back, he’ll continue to be a common pairing in mock drafts moving forward.

“The Chiefs rank in the bottom 11 of the league in rushing at 108 yards per game. Love has 35 rushing touchdowns since 2024, which is the most of any player in that span, and has averaged 6.9 yards per carry over the last two seasons with a whopping 2,497 rushing yards. Love would be a massive boost for a KC team that will need to establish the run more as Patrick Mahomes returns from a torn ACL”.

I believe a first-round pick on a running back may be too rich for the Chiefs at this point, but to defend this prediction, I do believe Love would revolutionize their offense. Mahomes has led the team in rushing yards in the majority of their games this season, and that’s not a recipe for success.

Mahomes tore his ACL trying to scramble and extend a play against the Los Angeles Chargers, and if that’s removed from his game moving forward, they need a shifty player they can hand the ball off to that can replicate some of that agility and evasiveness.

There may not be a single player in this upcoming draft class that’s as shifty or has as much body control as Love does. He would give them an identity moving forward, not to mention a franchise running back to pair with Mahomes as he enters the second leg of his career.

I believe the Chiefs could live without Love on their team and get a good running back later in the draft or through free agency, but he would make their life a lot easier.