With the Kansas Chiefs being eliminated from playoff contention a couple of weeks ago, fans are looking ahead to the offseason to see what the team can do in free agency and the 2026 NFL draft.
Seemingly, it appears that Kansas City’s front office is taking the same approach, as they have been bringing in a slew of players recently to see if they’re a possible fit for the practice squad or a futures deal.
According to Jesse Newell of The Athletic, the Chiefs held a 13-player workout on Tuesday, in which they signed DT Marcus Harris to the practice squad. They also signed linebacker Kam Arnold to the taxi roster. While those signings are interesting, it was intriguing to see that they also worked out running back ShunDerrick Powell.
It’s expected that the Chiefs’ backfield will look entirely different in 2026, with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt both scheduled to become free agents. Kansas City will still have rookie Brashard Smith, and possibly Dameon Pierce, who could be inked to a futures deal.
However, they could use more competition and explosiveness at the position, which works well in Powell’s favor.
Chiefs Can’t Let Promising RB They Just Worked Out Slip Away
Powell has been on the workout circuit for most of the regular season after the Philadelphia Eagles waived him at the end of the preseason in August. The former Central Arkansas star didn’t put up big numbers in the exhibition slate, racking up 23 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, and a catch for two yards in three games.
But don’t let those preseason numbers fool you, Powell has a beast at the FCS level with 4,021 career rushing yards and 38 touchdowns between his time at North Alabama and Central Arkansas. He also had 752 receiving yards and four more scores on 89 receptions.
Powell is on the smaller side at 5-foot-7, 175 pounds, but ran a 4.40 40-yard dash, which should intrigue a team like Kansas City, which likes to have speed at the skill positions. In fact, the Chiefs are familiar with the FCS star, as they invited him to their facilities ahead of the draft in April.
For the Chiefs, Powell could be a nice option on kick returns with his explosiveness and acceleration. He won’t offer much in terms of pass protection, which will hinder how much he gets on the field.
However, using Powell’s speed in open space on screen passes behind a healthy Chiefs’ offensive line is a tantalizing idea, to at least sign him to a futures deal. We’ve already seen the Chiefs bring in one running back for a workout in Damien Martinez, who just signed to the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad.
The Chiefs cannot allow the same thing to happen again with Powell, if they like what he brings to the table and believe he can compete for a spot in the backfield or at least the practice squad in 2026.