The Kansas City Chiefs are addressing a key weakness. GM Brett Veach confirmed the team's rushing attack was not explosive enough last season. At the NFL Combine, he outlined a plan to fix the offense, starting with the upcoming draft.

“Well, I think certainly we want to get more explosive in the running game. And we've invested in that interior, in Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey. I mean, two of the best in the league. And we thought Kingsley (Suamataia) made a big step. I mean, those are three talented interior players. So, I think, and we've talked about it, and Coach [Andy Reid] has done an amazing job with his staff cranking on that scheme eval, but I think being more explosive in the running game."

Let's talk numbers. The Chiefs' running game was 25th-ranked, coming in at 106.9 yards per game. Kareem Hunt remained their strongest rusher, and he managed just 611 yards with 8 touchdowns. With Hunt leaving as a free agent alongside Isiah Pacheco, it's clear the Chiefs' ground attack needs help.

That's why Veach started off by bolstering the offensive line. Creed Humphrey is the league’s highest-paid center, who has earned First-team All-Pro honors for two consecutive years while continuing to dominate.

Next to him is Trey Smith, the right guard who recently signed an extension deal of $94M  after a record-breaking season, where he allowed only one sack across more than 600 snaps. The group was completed by 23-year-old Kingsley Suamataia, who proved his durability by starting every game and playing over 1,000 offensive snaps last season.

Now, all that the team needs is a good running back.

And Brett Veach Is Excited to Use the Draft To Bring in a Star Player

Getting pick 9 was unusual for the Chiefs. As Veach explained, "We're excited – we don't want to be picking [at] nine every year, but we're excited to add some young talent to this roster."

This is a solid opportunity for the team. Out of the current draft class, there's one player that stands out: Jeremiyah Love. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back posted solid numbers in his last college football season. He managed 1,372 yards (8th highest in the league) and 18 rushing touchdowns (3rd most in the league).

If the Chiefs manage to snap him up, it could bring a sense of balance that's been missing from the team. We saw it after Patrick Mahomes battled injury. With a star RB, things could go smoother in case of another Mahomes injury.

Read more at the Kansas City Chiefs Community!

Written by

Shreya Mishra

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar