Changing the Chiefs' Run Game Goes Beyond Just Kenneth Walker III

Coming off a dreadful 6-11 campaign in which just about everything went wrong, it'd be easy for the Kansas City Chiefs to blame it solely on bad luck. A bad process and some lackluster personnel and execution led contributed as well, though, which the team seems aware of.

That's been evident in how general manager Brett Veach handled free agency and how head coach Andy Reid revamped his coaching staff. Sure, familiar faces remain in place, but Kansas City is making a concerted effort to improve. Will the club's alterations be enough, particularly on offense?

Making a splash signing of running back Kenneth Walker III in March was a nice start. Fixing things goes beyond just adding a talent of his caliber, however. Joshua Brisco, Seth Keysor and Nate Taylor discussed all of that and more on the latest episode of the Only Weird Games podcast on KC Sports Network.

Is Kenneth Walker III the right fit for the Chiefs?

Some things transcend scheme. For instance, per NFL Pro, Walker had a 30.2% rate of missed tackles forced on touches in the last three years. Additionally, his 9.95% explosive run rate from 2025 (SumerSports) should add serious fuel to an offense that was second-to-last in runs of 10+ yards the last two years.

Walker, for comparison, was third in the same stat this past season.

The true ceiling of Walker's time with the Chiefs could come down to usage, however. He's notably better from under center (42.2% success rate) than from shotgun (29.3%), but sample size and 2024 vs. 2025 splits add noise to the data.

Finding the right mix could be the difference between Walker being a top-10 halfback with the Chiefs and a downright elite one. He's getting paid to be the latter.

A mentality shift could benefit Kansas City in 2026-27

With that mix comes the necessity for a mentality change. In the past, the Chiefs have leaned too much into the pass. It's hard to say putting the ball in the hands of quarterback Patrick Mahomes can turn excessive, although it's possible. According to nfelo, last year's team ranked second in pass rate over expected.

Having the ability to run the ball effectively could help balance that out. Walker, even if not running concepts in his wheelhouse, is a massive upgrade from Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt. A more efficient rushing attack, in turn, generates heavier boxes and could free up downfield passing concepts.

It's all interconnected, but the aforementioned efficiency can't peak unless Kansas City allows it to. Relying on short-to-intermediate passes, Mahomes' improvisation and timely defense isn't always sustainable.

How will Eric Bieniemy's return impact the offense?

With all due respect to now-former offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, the offense lacked something during his second stint. Shortcomings can be partially chalked up to those playing on the field, but the Chiefs made seemingly countless mistakes and seemed stale on offense in 2024 and 2025.

Is the return of Eric Bieniemy going to restore order? Widely regarded as someone who emphasizes accountability and being detail-oriented, those character traits matter. Bieniemy is coming off a brief tenure with the Chicago Bears that saw him assist halfback D'Andre Swift in turning in career-best production.

On top of that, acquiring DeMarco Murray as running backs coach could add a wrinkle. Walker is the most impactful variable that was modified this offseason, but the trio of Reid, Bieniemy and Murray has an opportunity to turn the volume dial up even higher.

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