5 Chiefs on Thin Ice Following Trade Deadline

5. Carson Steele, RB

It wasn't long ago when Carson Steele was one of the NFL's preseason darlings. The former UCLA running back turned heads with 87 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries in three exhibition appearances, leaving fans to wonder if the Chiefs had a key role in store for him once the regular season began.

Despite the Chiefs being without Isiah Pacheco since Week 2 due to injury, Steele has been unable to carve a role out for himself on offense. The undrafted rookie has struggled to produce with the football in his hands as he's only averaging 3.4 yards on 44 carries and has yet to find the end zone.

Even worse is the fact that Steele has displayed unreliable hands, proven by his three fumbles in eight games. Although he hasn't lost the ball in any of his last three games, the fact that he's only averaged 3.7 carries during that stretch suggests that head coach Andy Reid isn't too keen on giving the 22-year-old RB any more opportunities.

With Kareem Hunt officially running away with the RB1 job, there isn't a good reason to keep giving carries to Steele. The Chiefs could have Pacheco back in the lineup by the end of November while veteran RBs Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Samaje Perine are still on the roster and both are likely more reliable backup options for the time being compared to Steele.

Even though undrafted free agents can sometimes exceed expectations, they often don't. While it would've been great to see Steele prove that he belongs in the NFL, each passing game makes it clear that he shouldn't be on the 53-man roster.

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