Chiefs RB Unexpectedly Called Best in the NFL at Specific Role

The Kansas City Chiefs re-signed running back Kareem Hunt to a one-year deal after his NFL resurgence in KC last season.

And although there’s no guarantee Hunt will make the 53-man roster after training camp, the soon-to-be 30-year-old earned some high praise in a specific area ahead of the 2025 campaign.

During a June 19 article with ESPN, veteran staff writer Bill Barnwell labeled Hunt the best “short-yardage running back” in the entire NFL, considering his $1.482 million contract.

With a nod to Los Angeles Rams star Kyren Williams — who is about to get paid big money — Barnwell reasoned that “the best option is Hunt” when you take into account contract value for this specific role.

“Hunt wasn’t great [after taking over for Isiah Pacheco], but the one thing he did well was convert in short yardage,” the NFL writer explained. “He went 15-of-18 (83.3%) in those situations, one year after he went 15-of-20 (75%) in those same spots for the [Cleveland] Browns.”

“Doing that for an offense that relied heavily on converting third downs and wasn’t willing to run Patrick Mahomes on sneaks was a critical piece of the puzzle for Kansas City,” Barnwell continued.

Concluding: “With Pacheco back to full health and free agent Elijah Mitchell joining the mix, it would be a surprise if the Chiefs relied on Hunt in a featured role again in 2025. However, he could still be a useful third running back in the right situations.”

Kareem Hunt’s Uncanny Ability on Third Downs Increases Likelihood of Him Making Chiefs’ 53-Man Roster

As noted above, it’s been suggested that Hunt could end up being the odd man out at running back this summer. The Chiefs have put together a competitive roster battle in the backfield, and Hunt is the oldest member of the group.

Which makes him somewhat of an easy cut at a young man’s position, like RB.

Having said that, Barnwell makes a very good point when he brings up Kansas City’s refusal to quarterback sneak with Mahomes after his injury years ago. Pacheco has not always thrived at getting those tough yards inside the tackles, and that’s not Mitchell or rookie Brashard Smith’s specialty either.

For this unique purpose, and considering how many tight games KC plays in where one or two yards makes all the difference, the Chiefs could deem Hunt invaluable at the roster cutdown. If that happens, that’s bad news for Mitchell and second-year UDFA Carson Steele, who could be battling for the final RB spot if Kansas City keeps four ball carriers.

Rookie RB Brashard Smith Is Making the Chiefs’ 53-Man Roster

Hunt, Mitchell and Steele may not be locks, but it feels like a pretty safe bet that Smith is, along with Pacheco.

Draft picks generally make the 53-man roster as rookies, but we have seen the Chiefs cut late-round selections before. Sixth-round cornerback Kamal Hadden was just sent through waivers last year, for example, and KC failed to retain him on the practice squad as he was picked up by the Green Bay Packers.

After an impressive OTAs and minicamp that showed off just how dangerous Smith can be, however, that outcome appears unlikely for the speedy seventh-rounder.

Smith still has to prove himself in pads, as head coach Andy Reid pointed out at minicamp, but he’s trending up as of June 24.