With NFL free agency on the horizon, one position the Kansas City Chiefs will be looking to upgrade is running back. One running back that would be a perfect addition to their backfield is Breece Hall.
Ahead of the trade deadline during the 2025 season, there was a belief that Hall would be a Chief as GM Brett Veach inquired. But those trade talks fell apart, as the Jets reportedly wanted a third-round pick in exchange for Hall, not the fourth-round pick that Kansas City offered.
That said, the Chiefs likely hoped they could get Hall in free agency, but the Jets nixed that on Tuesday. According to Connor Hughes of SNY, Jets GM Darren Mougey said that Hall will be in New York next season. And if they can’t sign him, Hall will be getting tagged.
As one could imagine, this is not the news that Chiefs fans wanted to hear, as Hall would take their offense to another level in 2026. Luckily, other running backs such as Travis Etienne and Rico Dowdle are in free agency and could fill the Chiefs’ RB1 void.
Rico Dowdle Should Be on Chiefs’ FA Wishlist Following Breece Hall News
It was reported last week that Etienne is interested in coming to Kansas City, but the Jacksonville Jaguars will likely have a say in what happens with the standout RB.
Therefore, the Chiefs need to be prepared to pivot elsewhere. Enter Rico Dowdle. Dowdle spent the past season with the Carolina Panthers on a one-year, $2.75 million deal. He outperformed that contract by a long shot.
The 27-year-old running back turned in the second straight 1,000-yard season of his career. He racked up 1,076 yards and six touchdowns on 236 carries across 17 games (11 starts). Dowdle also showcased his pass-catching skills, accumulating 39 receptions (50 targets) for 297 yards and a touchdown.
Dowdle won’t receive the same type of fanfare as Etienne, but he is still a quality running back who is hitting his stride. In fact, with two different teams, he has shown that he can be an RB1.
Spotrac projects Dowdle’s market value at a two-year, $13 million deal ($6.5M AAV), which is perfect value for his production lately. He might not be as electrifying as Etienne, but he’s not easy to bring down and will get yards after contact.
The Chiefs could sign Dowdle and pair him with Brashard Smith as their "thunder and lightning" combo in the backfield, which allows them to take the best player available with the No. 9 overall pick.
This past season, the RB position was quite a disappointment, as Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt didn’t have much success on the ground. There was some hope that Smith would make a difference, but the Chiefs didn’t fully commit to the youngster.
We shouldn’t expect the same thing this upcoming season, as Eric Bieniemy is back in Kansas City as the offensive coordinator. And DeMarco Murray is coming in as the Chiefs' new running backs coach.Â