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Could Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco find a new home this offseason?
With the month of February winding down, the Kansas City Chiefs should be focused on free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft. Some serious improvements must take place to bounce back from a 6-11 season.
Some roster turnover would be beneficial, surely. With that said, general manager Brett Veach has to account for a multitude of high-snap players potentially walking out the door. Even if those contributions weren’t always positive, losing volume isn’t always easy to deal with.
There may not be a greater example of that than running back Isiah Pacheco. What’s the latest on the former seventh-round pick with his first free agency stint on the horizon?
Isiah Pacheco Predicted to Leave Chiefs in Free Agency This Spring
In a February 20 story for The Athletic, team beat writer Jesse Newell dove into a ranking of the Chiefs’ top unrestricted free agents. In that breakdown, he revealed a telling tidbit regarding Pacheco’s impending free agency.
Newell believes Pacheco very well could find a new home this offseason.
“Pacheco is an energy-giver as a teammate and has never been afraid to take on contact with a physical running style,” Newell wrote. “But he also doesn’t elude tackles well and hasn’t established himself yet as a reliable receiver. He seems likely to sign elsewhere, with that team hoping the 26-year-old can see a career resurgence with better health luck.”
That outcome feels like the best for both sides. In his fourth season, Pacheco averaged just 3.9 yards per carry and tied a career-worst mark with 4.1 yards per touch. Additionally, his 2.2 yards before contact per attempt and 1.8 yards after contact per try didn’t reflect quality production. He finished the 2025-26 campaign with 118 carries for 462 yards and a lone touchdown.
Advanced stats didn’t like Pacheco’s output, either. Per SumerSports, among 49 halfbacks with 100+ carries, he ranked 44th in success rate and 46th in explosive rush share. He was good for -0.4 rush yards over expected per attempt, via NFL Pro.
Projections for a Pacheco deal in free agency vary. Over The Cap has him worth just $1.8 million annually via their model, with Spotrac ($4.3M) and The Athletic ($5.25M) falling in line thereafter.
A change of scenery is sensible.
Assessing Kansas City’s Running Back Options This Offseason
If the Chiefs do move on from Pacheco, bringing veteran Kareem Hunt back could be an option. Given Hunt’s ability to thrive in certain situations, he can remain an effective player even past the age of 30. He’s a phenomenal short-yardage back, which helps the Chiefs on late downs and near the goal line.
Changes need to occur elsewhere, though, on multiple fronts. Luckily, it’s a fairly good year to need a free agent running back. The bad news for Kansas City is the price tags for projected top free-agents-to-be could prove costly. Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams, for example, just re-signed on a three-year, $24M deal.
It remains to be seen whether the New York Jets will place a tag on Breece Hall and prevent him from entering the market. The Super Bowl-winning Seattle Seahawks have a decision to make regarding Kenneth Walker, and Jacksonville Jaguars standout Travis Etienne reportedly has interest in being a Chief. Elsewhere, Rico Dowdle of the Carolina Panthers could seek a featured role. Kenneth Gainwell, who just turned in a great year with the Pittsburgh Steelers, makes sense.
Should the Chiefs go the NFL Draft route, many folks want them to spend the ninth overall pick on Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love. That’d undoubtedly inject playmaking and upside into the offense, albeit with a legitimate trade-off. On Day 2 of the draft, Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson has emerged as a commonly-mocked name for Kansas City.
Still above the salary cap as of the publishing of this article, Veach and Co. have their work cut out for them.
Jordan Foote is a seasoned sports writer who covers the NFL for Heavy.com with an emphasis on the Kansas City Chiefs. He has years of experience publishing NFL and MLB content for Sports Illustrated’s On SI vertical, in addition to a background in NBA coverage for multiple outlets. Foote is a Baker University alumnus, earning his degree in Mass Media. He’s based in Kansas City. More about Jordan Foote
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