The Kansas City Chiefs don’t play until Monday night, but there was still plenty for the team to decipher as the bulk of the NFL’s Week 5 slate played out on Sunday afternoon. The Chiefs are looking for their third straight win when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday Night Football, but despite a 2-2 record, they feel like a team that needs one more piece to tie it all together.
The trade deadline will present that opportunity, and Chiefs fans were likely spending their Sunday scouting running backs who could make a difference. While a pair of notable names, such as the Miami Dolphins' De’Von Achane, could be targets, Kansas City may have scratched Carolina Panthers RB Rico Dowdle off their trade board after a monster performance on Sunday afternoon.
Rico Dowdle’s Career Day Could Put an End to Chiefs Trade Speculation
Dowdle was a force in the Panthers’ 27-24 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, running for a career-high 206 yards. The 27-year-old also caught three passes for 28 yards in the win as part of a performance that could make the Panthers think twice before trading him ahead of the Nov. 4 deadline, especially if they want to compete for a playoff spot.
If that’s the decision, the Chiefs may have to look for a different way to upgrade their backfield. Kansas City entered the year with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt as their top running backs, and rookie Brashard Smith has started to gain momentum for an increased role as he acclimates to the NFL. But Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt have been underwhelming, with Pacheco averaging 4.0 yards per carry and Hunt averaging 3.2 yards per carry in the first four weeks.
Even if they do give Smith a larger role, the Chiefs would be well-benefited by finding someone who could carry the load. Dowdle has previous experience after averaging 98.5 rushing yards over the final seven games for the Dallas Cowboys last season. He was also stepping in as a reserve today after starter Chuba Hubbard missed the win against the Dolphins with a calf injury.
The Panthers also improved to 2-3 on the season, which puts them within striking distance of a playoff spot in the early stages of the season. Still, Dowdle is on a one-year, $6.25 million contract, and if the Panthers drop upcoming games against the Cowboys (Week 6), Buffalo Bills (Week 8), and Green Bay Packers (Week 9), they could look to move some pieces for the future.
It leaves the door open that the Chiefs could swing a trade for Dowdle. But more likely, it means Kansas City will have to focus its efforts somewhere else.