The Kansas City Chiefs did not merely change running backs during the offseason. They changed the type of backfield they want to build.
Kenneth Walker arrives as the established centerpiece and reigning Super Bowl MVP. Behind him, however, Kansas City chose youth over experience. Rookie Emmett Johnson appears to have earned the No. 2 job, while second-year playmaker Brashard Smith offers a change-of-pace option and kick-return ability.
The commitment became clear when the Chiefs moved on from veteran Emari Demercado, who was subsequently claimed by Dallas. That left Walker, Johnson and Smith as the three running backs on Kansas City’s initial 53-man roster.
It is a calculated gamble—and one that could reshape the offense.
Walker gives the Chiefs something they badly lacked last season: a runner capable of creating explosive gains without perfect blocking. According to the team, he broke 61 tackles in 2025 and gained 664 yards after contact. He produced 33 runs of at least 10 yards, including 10 that gained 20 or more. The entire Chiefs offense produced only three 20-yard runs last season.
That contrast is staggering.
Kansas City’s passing game is most dangerous when the defense cannot treat every early down as an invitation to attack the quarterback. If Walker forces linebackers and safeties to respect the run, play-action becomes more credible, throwing lanes become cleaner and opposing pass rushers cannot simply race toward Mahomes on every snap.
Walker is not joining the Chiefs as a declining veteran expected to survive on reputation. He rushed for 1,027 yards last season, finished with 1,309 yards from scrimmage and then produced 135 rushing yards in Super Bowl LX. He is the proven part of the plan.
Johnson is the fascinating part.
The fifth-round rookie led the Big Ten with 1,451 rushing yards at Nebraska in 2025. He also caught 46 passes for 370 yards, making him one of college football’s most productive receiving backs. His combination of vision, quick feet and reliable hands made him look like more than a traditional late-round depth selection.
But running the ball was never the only test Johnson had to pass.
Andy Reid said pass protection was the quality that established Johnson as the No. 2 back. That matters in every offense, but it carries additional weight with Mahomes returning from knee surgery. A rookie who misses a blitz pickup can erase all the value created by his rushing ability. Reid’s public confidence suggests Johnson has earned trust in the area that often keeps young backs off the field.
His receiving background also gives the Chiefs flexibility. Johnson can release into the flat, run routes against linebackers or remain in the backfield as a blocker. If he can perform all three jobs without revealing the play’s intention, Reid can substitute less frequently and prevent the defense from matching personnel as easily.
Smith offers a different kind of possibility. He played wide receiver for much of his college career and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds. That background makes him a natural candidate for screens, motion, returns and specialty packages designed to get the ball into space.
The Chiefs do not need Smith to carry the ball 15 times per game. They need him to force defensive coordinators to account for unusual possibilities whenever he enters the huddle. A few touches can change how a defense responds to motion or how aggressively it pursues Walker between the tackles.
The risk is obvious. Johnson has never played a regular-season NFL snap, and Smith remains an inexperienced professional running back. If Walker misses time, Kansas City would be placing significant responsibility on players who have not yet proven they can manage an NFL workload.
The Chiefs accepted that risk because the potential reward fits the offense they are trying to restore.
Walker supplies proven power and explosive running. Johnson offers a balanced skill set with legitimate receiving production and growing credibility in pass protection. Smith brings speed and position flexibility. Together, they give Reid three distinct tools rather than three similar runners competing for the same role.
This backfield could also reduce the burden on Mahomes. That does not mean turning Kansas City into a conservative, run-first team. It means giving the quarterback more favorable situations and fewer snaps in which the entire offense depends on him escaping pressure and creating something extraordinary.
For years, the Chiefs could survive an inconsistent rushing attack because Mahomes covered so many structural problems. Coming off a 6–11 season and a major injury, asking him to do that again would be irresponsible.
The new backfield is designed to help prevent it.
Kansas City’s investment in Walker was the headline. Its decision to trust Johnson and Smith may be just as revealing. The Chiefs are betting that explosiveness, versatility and youth can make the running game a genuine strength rather than an occasional change of pace.
If that bet succeeds, the biggest change to the Chiefs offense may begin with the players standing beside Mahomes—not the ones catching passes downfield.
Sources: Arrowhead Pride: Reid praises Emmett Johnson’s pass protection; Chiefs.com: Five things to know about Kenneth Walker; Chiefs.com: Five things to know about Emmett Johnson; Chiefs.com: Initial 53-man roster
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