If Chiefs hit on key offseason priority, it&#39;s over for the AFC

If Chiefs hit on key offseason priority, it's over for the AFC originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Kansas City Chiefs know exactly what they want as they enter the offseason, and that is to make sure what happened in 2025 doesn't happen again.

As such, the franchise is going through the roster with a fine-tooth comb to find the weak spots and address them.

One is running back.

Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt are free agents, and it isn't known if either will be back in 2026, and general owner Brett Veach might have just let slip the Chiefs' top priority this offseason.

"Certainly, we want to get more explosive in the running game," Veach said via ESPN. "We've invested in that interior [of the offensive line] with [right guard] Trey Smith and [center] Creed Humphrey, two of the best in the league. We thought [left guard] Kingsley [Suamataia] made a big step. Those are three talented interior players."

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Who could Chiefs turn to at running back?

Well, it won't be Breece Hall as the Jets want to keep him, but Travis Etienne from the Jacksonville Jaguars is one option.

Then we have Jeremiyah Love in the draft as another avenue. Love has been mocked to the Chiefs several times and is seen as a great fit for what the Chiefs want to do.

So, there are a couple of ways to go, and we get the sense that giving Patrick Mahomes a top run game in 2026 is going to be the main focus for the Chiefs' front office.

They have the offensive line, according to Veach, and now they might get the running back if Veach has his way.

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