The NFL’s roster cut day is still four months away, but with the draft done and dusted, I’ve already found myself mulling over a question about the make-up of the Kansas City Chiefs’ roster next season—what is the running back room going to look like, and specifically, how many running backs are the Chiefs going to keep?
Running back was by far Kansas City’s weakest position on offense last year, and the Chiefs have spent significant resources on rectifying it this offseason. Kenneth Walker and Emari Demercado are much-needed signings, and Emmett Johnson is an exciting player I’m glad Kansas City picked up in the draft.
That means there’s a serious chance that none of the halfbacks Kansas City had in 2025 are on their 53-man roster this season.
The Chiefs kept four running backs last year—Kareem Hunt, Isiah Pacheco, Brashard Smith, and Elijah Mitchell. Pacheco is now a Detroit Lion, Hunt is a free agent, and so is Mitchell after he was cut by the New England Patriots this week, and Smith is entering his second season.
Two weeks ago, I thought Smith was likely to retain his roster spot, and the Chiefs signing Hunt as a free agent felt both inevitable and like a smart move. But now, I’m not so sure.
Emmett Johnson could replace multiple roles
The drafting of Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson has changed things. Even before he’s taken a single NFL snap, I already think Johnson is ahead of both Hunt and Smith on the depth chart. But crucially, I think Johnson can replace them both altogether.
Johnson brings more to the table than either Hunt or Smith can. He’s younger, faster, and more explosive than 30-year-old Hunt, and he’s a true running back, unlike Smith, who has transitioned to the position from wide receiver. Johnson seems far more likely to be given 10 handoffs a game than Smith.
If Johnson can fill the value of two players at once, it not only brings more juice to the running game, but it also gives the Chiefs a handy advantage elsewhere—an additional roster spot that can be used for another position.
Keeping three backs creates roster flexibility
By carrying three running backs instead of four, that extra slot could be used to carry an extra pass rusher to help a defensive line that struggled to rush the passer last season or for an offensive lineman to give extra depth at tackle.
It could also be used on one of the undrafted free agents the Chiefs have brought in. Maybe Kansas City wants to keep hyper-athletic wide receiver Jeff Caldwell, safety Deshon Singleton, explosive tight end John Michael Gyllenborg, or anyone else who impresses during the preseason, they’d have an extra spot to do that.
Last year, it felt like the Chiefs needed all the help they could get at running back. Throw numbers at the position and hope it sticks. Now, it feels like they can focus on getting the right players at the position.
A backfield of Walker, Demercado, and Johnson already seems like a huge upgrade on what Kansas City had last year. The Chiefs can consolidate their roster in one spot to free up extra space in another without compromising their productivity at running back.
I don’t want to write off Smith already, especially after just one underutilized season in which the Chiefs seemingly refused to hand him the ball. I hope he’d be able to land on Kansas City’s practice squad. But three running backs might be the magic number, and Smith might just be the odd one out.
At times last year it felt like Kansas City’s running back room needed a total rebuild and that’s exactly what it got. This season’s three running backs could be much better than alst year’s four and improve the Chiefs in another roster area too.
