One Free Agent Who Makes Perfec Sense for Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs didn't do a good job of addressing their needs in the offseason after their Super Bowl hiccup against the Philadelphia Eagles. That resulted in them missing the playoffs in 2025, which shifted the NFL landscape as a whole.

Now the Seattle Seahawks will be the reigning Super Bowl champions, and Patrick Mahomes will come back from his injury to a team that's much different. It's clear from last season that the Chiefs had a problem with their offensive consistency. What upcoming free agent would help out the Chiefs' offense drastically?

Potential Free Agent Signing

Dec 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid looks on during the third quarter against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Chiefs had a difficult time running the ball in 2025, which led to their offense living and dying by Mahomes' arm. That isn't a bad recipe for success, but in conjunction with a declining defense, it helps explain why they were only able to win six games.

Despite all of those factors going against them, there were plenty of games that came down to the wire and were decided by one score. One can imagine that the difference in those games could have been a star running back, who could've picked up crucial yards that decided a win or loss.

Despite being 27, Rico Dowdle has only been a star in the NFL these past two seasons. He practically was the Carolina Panthers for a couple of their games last season, and showed that his final season with the Dallas Cowboys wasn't a fluke.

Andy Reid must know that if the Chiefs miss the playoffs for the second year in a row, it signals the end of their dynasty. With negative cap space, he has to make the most with what he's given, and Dowdle would be a relatively cheap option in comparison to some of the other top-end running backs available on the market.

I also like this signing for the Chiefs because they can sign him to a one-year deal and utilize him as their starting running back for the season. That allows them more flexibility with their top ten pick in the draft to address other areas of need for their roster. Dowdle just showed that he can be effective even in a season where he isn't given a big contract.

Back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons are impressive with two teams with wildly different offensive lines, and his yards after the catch are what make him so deadly in space. Instead of going for some of the bigger names, Dowdle would be a perfect mix of staying competitive but not being hasty.

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