The Kansas City Chiefs' first half of the season was a tale of two teams. The Chiefs stumbled out of the gate, dropping three of their first five games, but played better as they approached the bye, winning three of their last four. Entering the bye with a 5-4 record isn’t up to the Chiefs’ championship standard, but there have been several players who have been up and down to contribute to the inconsistencies.
That includes running back Brashard Smith. A seventh-round pick out of SMU, fans have been waiting for the rookie to add an explosive element to the Chiefs' backfield. But despite surviving trade rumors centered around an upgrade, Smith hasn’t earned an increased role, throwing any plans for his first season out the window at the midway point.
Brashard Smith’s Slow Start Raises Questions About Chiefs’ Running Game
Smith’s hype train was established shortly after April’s draft as he stood out with his pass-catching ability during OTAs. As the Chiefs progressed toward training camp, fans were excited about Smith’s athleticism, which included a 4.39-second time in the 40-yard dash, and his potential to be a part of the passing game as a player who began his collegiate career as a receiver at Miami and ended it as a running back at SMU.
Nine games into the season, Smith hasn’t been able to overtake Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt. Pacheco has continued to be a plodder in the Chiefs’ backfield, averaging 4.2 yards per carry and posting 329 yards with a touchdown in eight games, while Hunt has posted 4.0 yards per carry with 294 yards and a team-high five rushing touchdowns.
The veteran duo is begging someone to add another element, but opportunities for the rookie have been hard to come by. Part of this may have been expected, considering Smith is still learning in his second full season as a running back. But the rookie hit rock bottom with just three touches in last week’s loss to the Buffalo Bills, even as Pacheco sat out with a knee injury.
That workload made many believe the Chiefs would add a running back at the deadline, but after balking at the asking price for Breece Hall, Kansas City left a flicker of hope that Smith could figure it out.
As a seventh-round pick, Smith doesn’t have a lot of breathing room if he wants to hang around. But there’s plenty of room for improvement as he heads into the second half of the year.