The Kansas City Chiefs' 2025 season hasn't gone as planned, with the ground game being one of the areas that has been a disappointment. The Chiefs haven't been able to establish a consistent rushing attack, which has had negative ripple effects on the offense.
Running back Isiah Pacheco hasn't looked the same since his fractured fibula in 2024, and it appears that the Chiefs will be looking for an upgrade in the backfield this offseason. ESPN's Nate Taylor was a guest on 96.5 The Fan and revealed that Pacheco is not involved in the organization's plan for next season.
Pacheco is slated to hit free agency in the spring, and if this rumor is true, the Chiefs have no reason to keep trotting him out at the expense of rookie Brashard Smith.
Chiefs Should Increase Brashard Smith’s Usage for the Remainder of Season
Daniel Harms of Bleacher Report highlighted that the Chiefs have decided to use Pacheco more than Smith. Even though Smith could bring more explosiveness to a backfield that desperately needs it. And that's a great point, considering that Pacheco hasn't brought that to the fold.
This season, Pacheco has failed to rush for more than 58 rushing yards, with 4.2 yards per carry. His burst appears to be shot, and his vision continues to be a problem.
The Chiefs also knew they wanted more juice in the backfield ahead of the trade deadline. They were interested in New York Jets running back Breece Hall, but didn't want to offer a third-rounder in exchange for him. That led to New York keeping Hall, and the Chiefs still having a problem in the backfield.
Instead of trotting out Pacheco, the Chiefs should increase Smith's usage for the rest of the season. Smith has blazing speed, as he ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine. The 22-year-old also has soft hands coming out of the backfield as a pass-catcher.
Considering that Smith received a ton of praise and hype leading into the season, the Chiefs need to see what he can do on gamedays. Since it seems like Kansas City will let Pacheco walk in free agency, there's no reason to continue using Kareem Hunt as the bellcow.
He's 30 years old, and there's no telling how much longer Hunt will be effective. He will also be a free agent this upcoming offseason. Smith has yet to play in more than 35% of the offensive snaps in any game this season. That number needs to skyrocket so the Chiefs can determine if Smith has a role as a change-of-pace tailback in the RB rotation for the 2026 season.
It's no secret the Chiefs need to revamp this roster in the offseason. Running back will be a big topic of conversation, but first, Kansas City needs to increase Smith's workload, and they have no reason not to, with their slim playoff hopes.