The Kansas City Chiefs' running game hasn't been much of a factor this season. They rank in the middle of the pack with 118.3 rushing yards per game (15th) and 4.4 yards per carry (15th), and none of the Chiefs' running backs averages even 50 rushing yards per game.
While some of that may have to do with the committee approach head coach Andy Reid has taken with RBs Isaiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt, the fact of the matter is that they may not have the right personnel to do much better. That's why Rico Dowdle's recent drama with Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales will be a situation worth keeping a close eye on.
Rico Dowdle Could be the Chiefs' Savior Next Season
Dowdle signed a one-year deal with the Panthers to operate as Chubba Hubbard's primary backup. That approach worked like a charm early in the season, but with Dowdle breaking up in Weeks 5 and 6 when Hubbard was out with an injury, it seemed like the tide was changing in his favor.
That wasn't the case. Canales turned back to Hubbard when he was healthy again, and things reached a breaking point when he only gave Dowdle six carries in the Week 12 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Dowdle posted a not-so-cryptic message with a confused face emoji on X, and while he later dismissed the post, it was a pretty clear indicator of his discomfort, potentially opening the door for a split.
Dowdle has played pretty well this season. He's up to 929 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns on 192 carries, averaging 4.8 yards per attempt. He also has 29 receptions for 254 yards and one receiving touchdown, and that type of dual-threat ability is just what Kansas City needs to finally have an every-down type of back again.
For comparison, Dowdle has more rushing yards than Pacheco and Hunt do combined (860) despite the duo seeing 19 more carries than him (211).
Pacheco is going to be a free agent next season, and even if they bring Hunt back, he will most likely be just another goal-line or short-yardage specialist. It's highly unlikely that Dowdle will agree to come back to a committee after his breakout season, and his seemingly broken relationship with coach Canales makes him a prime free-agency target.
More than that, even though he's played his way into a more lucrative contract, he could still be a cheaper option than, say, Breece Hall. General manager Brett Veach has to make plenty of adjustments to the defense, so saving money will be crucial to rebuilding this team and getting it back to the mountaintop.
With the potential juice Dowdle could inject into the Chiefs' offense, it's safe to say that K.C. fans will be closely monitoring the Panthers RB's usage down the stretch.