As baffling as it may seem, the Kansas City Chiefs have not had a 1,000-yard rusher in the eight years Patrick Mahomes has been the quarterback. What's even more incredible is the amount of success Mahomes has been able to muster from the offense despite lacking a quality running game.
Within minutes of free agency kicking off a few weeks ago, general manager Brett Veach swung for the fences, signing reigning Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to a three-year, $43 million contract. Veach then doubled down on the additions to the running back room, signing former Arizona Cardinal Emari Demercado to a cheap one-year deal.
Moves like this signify Kansas City is adamant about building a running game behind an excellent offensive line. It’s also a strategy that takes pressure off Mahomes to do everything, forcing opposing defenses to respect the run game more, opening up more passing opportunities for the Chiefs.
Chiefs' Run Game Improvement Spells Trouble for Rival Broncos
Before the trade for Dolphins star WR Jaylen Waddle, the Broncos were having the quietest offseason in the league. To this point, Denver has yet to bring in any notable free agent additions, focusing instead on bringing back its own talent. One player they decided to let walk, however, could ultimately have a two-sided effect for both the Broncos and the Chiefs this upcoming season.
29-year-old defensive tackle John Franklin-Myers was coming off back-to-back seven-plus sack seasons for the Broncos, to go along with 66 total tackles, upon entering the open market this offseason. He was able to command over $20 million annually with the Tennessee Titans, signing a three-year deal to leave Denver.
The departure of Franklin-Myers is a major loss for the Broncos' front, given that he not only can get to the quarterback but has been stout against the run for years. While Denver has invested money into fellow DTs Zach Allen and D.J. Jones, neither is as good a player as Franklin-Myers, and the snap-to-snap rotation amongst the position group has now gotten much thinner.
The remaining resources at Denver’s disposal are few, as the Waddle trade handicapped the team's draft assets. The Broncos are without first and third-round picks, with a very late second-rounder being their highest selection right now. This year’s draft projects a talented pool of DTs, but with just one pick in the top 100 and other positions of need to fill, I wouldn’t expect too many meaningful additions from the draft to come for Denver along the d-line.
If the Broncos fail to improve their run defense up front, it will only add fuel to what should be a much-improved ground game for the Chiefs, led by Walker and Demarcado. Assuming those two get the job done, defenses will not be able to sell out against the pass and make Kansas City beat them by running the ball any longer.