The Kansas City Chiefs sent a clear message early in free agency. Signing Kenneth Walker III proved that they were hellbent on fixing their struggling running game, even if that meant spending big bucks to do so.
Then, with Isiah Pacheco leaving for the Detroit Lions, it looked like the Chiefs would retain Kareem Hunt to be their short-yardage situation back. However, it's been weeks, and with the NFL draft just one month away, Hunt has yet to put pen to paper; that door may have closed.
The Chiefs Might be Ready to Move on From Kareem Hunt
Hunt looked like a strong candidate to stay on a short-term deal. He has strong ties to returning offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who coached him as a rookie and helped him be the team's last 1,000-yard rusher.
However, signing Walker may have changed everything. He's going to be their three-down back, with Brashard Smith likely taking on the pass-catching duties. Then, to make it even harder for Hunt to return, they also added former Arizona Cardinals RB Emari Demercado.
Hunt wasn't particularly efficient last season. While he scored nine total touchdowns (eight rushing), he averaged just 3.8 yards per carry and struggled to find much after contact. He was just a goal-line specialist for an ailing rushing game that averaged 106.6 rushing yards per game, the seventh-fewest in the league.
Establishing the run will be one of Andy Reid's and Eric Bieniemy's primary duties next season. This team needs to take pressure off Patrick Mahomes' shoulders, especially if the wide receivers corps continues to underperform.
As such, they can't afford to keep trusting an aging and inefficient running back like Hunt, regardless of his familiarity with the offensive system or his ties to Bieniemy. It's time to move on, and the lack of action in the Chiefs' front suggests they've made that decision.
This might be the end of the line for Hunt, who struggled to find a new home outside of Kansas City or Cleveland. He's not getting any older, has a complicated off-the-field history, and teams will probably prefer to roll the dice on someone in the draft instead of signing him.
Even the Chiefs may bring someone else to help Walker, such as Notre Dame's Jadarian Price, although it might be a bit of a disservice after signing the Super Bowl MVP to a four-year, $36 million contract.