Late-Round Chiefs Rookie Needs More Playing Time After Preseason

Following last Friday’s final Kansas City Chiefs preseason game, fans left with lots of excitement about what this 2025 team could look like at full force. The first team defense was stellar, with the four-man pass-rush swarming Bears quarterback Caleb Williams with pressure and collapsing the pocket. The linebackers hit with a timely effort and tenacity, and coverage on the back end was solid as ever.

It was the offense, however, that caught my eye.

For starters every single component of the offensive line was in sync with each other, whether it was creating large A and B-gaps for running back Isiah Pacheco to burst through with his jittery running style, getting out in space to pancake a smaller corner, or being consistent stalwart’s in pass protection, providing quarterback Patrick Mahomes four-plus second clean pockets to deliver a strike over the middle of the field or outside the numbers.

There was one Chiefs rookie who, despite being the smallest player on the field, may just be the number one reason why this offense could get back to being the light show that so many want to see return. Seventh-round pick out of SMU, Brashard Smith is a converted wide receiver turned running back standing at 5-foot-10 and weighing 196 lbs. 

Chiefs RB Brashard Smith Deserve More Playing Time After Strong Preseason

Smith has been a standout player during his time with the Chiefs so far, both in training camp and in the preseason.

What Smith can do with the ball in his hands is uniquely different than anybody the Chiefs have had at the RB position in years. In the first drive of Friday’s game, Smith ran a wheel route out of the backfield, turning upfield for about 20 yards, before Mahomes corked back and laced it down the middle.

The pass was a tad high, and Smith dropped it, but the moment I saw the route and Mahomes’ willingness and trust to make that throw to an RB shows that that part of the offense is back.

Three plays later, Mahomes went right back to Smith in the red zone, who, once again, showing off his receiver chops, ran a perfect angle route and caught an absolute missile from Mahomes for a 12-yard first down. 

It’s the first time since probably Jerick McKinnon in 2022 that the Chiefs have actually been able to open the part of the playbook up that has the running back running routes. Which can be absolutely deadly when No. 15 is commanding the throw, an offensive line that can block, and five guys all getting open in an Andy Reid scheme.

That’s how the 2018 Chiefs were able to score 35 points a game, because Kareem Hunt was so good at taking a defender away in the passing game, that it gave the WRs and tight ends freedom to run deep down the field.

When one hears about a seventh-round RB, they typically don’t think much of it. At the same time, let's not forget that Isiah Pacheco was quite literally a bottom ten selection in 2022 and had nearly 1,000 yards from scrimmage in his rookie year.

Smith will get playing time, and fans will see him a lot on third downs, as the Chiefs look to utilize his 4.39-second 40-yard dash time.

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