The Kansas City Chiefs took a big step toward Super Bowl contention by bringing offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy back. Their offense hasn't been the same since he left, and it's hard to think of someone else better to fix their broken running game.
That said, it's not like Bieniemy will suit up and carry the ball himself. The Chiefs need to bolster the running back room, especially with veteran running backs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt scheduled to hit free agency on Wednesday, March 11.
With that in mind, the Chiefs might turn to the NFC North for help. According to ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, veteran RB David Montgomery still wants to be traded, and he can be had at a very reasonable price.
"The Lions' David Montgomery wants out, has a reasonable contract (owed $6 million in 2026), and is 28. That has value. Word out of Indy is that Detroit would want a decent Day 3 pick (possibly a fifth-rounder) in return."Jeremy Fowler, ESPN
Chiefs Must Pounce on David Montgomery Trade Opportunity
The Chiefs have been linked to Notre Dame superstar Jeremiyah Love with the No. 9 pick, and he'd certainly be an exciting selection worthy of that pick. Then again, they have other issues to address (pass rush, wide receiver, etc.), and getting a starting-caliber running back at such a reasonable price might be too tempting to ignore.
The Chiefs will be on the clock at No. 146, the eighth selection in the fifth round. Montgomery might be no spring chicken, but he'll probably give this team much more than any rookie they could get with that selection, at least in the foreseeable future.
Despite losing more touches to Jahmyr Gibbs as time passed, Montgomery still posted decent numbers in 2025. He turned 158 carries into 716 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, adding 24 receptions on 29 targets for 192 receiving yards. He's amassed 3,156 total scrimmage yards and 33 TDs on 638 touches since joining the Lions in 2023.
The Chiefs, on the other hand, averaged just 106.6 rushing yards per game, ranking 25th in the league. Hunt and Pacheco combined for a total of 1,073 rushing yards, and neither of them averaged four yards per carry.
Montgomery still has two years left in his contract, with cap hits of $8.37 million and $10.23 million, respectively, per Spotrac. That many can always be spread over void years, so money shouldn't be an issue for general manager Brett Veach.
The Chiefs still have the best quarterback in the game and arguably the greatest offensive play-caller of all time, but they need more weapons. And even if the offensive line was also responsible for their struggles on the ground, they need to retool the personnel to get back to the mountaintop.
With Montgomery potentially available at a dirt-cheap price, the Chiefs can start to rebuild their arsenal immediately, giving them the best chance possible to hit the ground running in September.