For years, the running game has been a headache for the Kansas City Chiefs. Rookie Kareem Hunt was the last Chiefs running back to top 1,000 rushing yards in the 2017 season, and Patrick Mahomes has had to do most of the heavy lifting in recent campaigns.
That's why, with offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy back at the helm, the Chiefs overhauled the running back room by letting Hunt and Isiah Pacheco go and signing Kenneth Walker III and Emari Demercado before drafting Emmett Johnson as well in the fifth round.
Of course, the reigning Super Bowl MVP in Walker should handle the bulk of the load, but Demercado's pass-protection skills should've made him a roster lock and secured him a third-down role. With Johnson's surge and Brashard Smith also improving, that may not be the case anymore.
Emari Demercado's role with the Chiefs has come into question after preseason games
The former Arizona Cardinal is a proven commodity. He's not the most well-rounded back, but he's got steady hands and could give Mahomes a safety valve on screen passes and checkdowns. He's also a strong blocker in the passing game.
However, the Chiefs don't seem too enthralled by his skills. Head coachAndy Reid has showered Johnson with praise, as he looked like an absolute draft steal in both training camp and preseason action.
Demercado has been an afterthought thus far, and even Smith, who barely played as a rookie, seems to be ahead of him in the pecking order. He used to be a wide receiver and was supposed to be the team's pass-down specialist, so maybe he's taken a big leap in pass protection ahead of his second season.
Of course, there's still a chance that the Chiefs will keep all four on the roster. Maybe they're just playing it safe with their veteran, knowing that he'll be ready to roll when it actually counts. Also, Andy Reid often favors proven commodities over non-battle-tested guys.
That said, even if Demercado makes the roster, he might not be in for the big role he was supposed to. That's a great problem to have, as the Chiefs have gone from having one of the most underwhelming running back corps in the game to having one too many.
Patrick Mahomes may not be as mobile as he was before a major injury, and even if he is, establishing the run will be the best way to keep him healthy and take pressure off his shoulders once and for all. As such, it's up to the best man to win the job, regardless of experience or pedigree.
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