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Adam Teicher
Kansas City, Mo. – The career game of the Kansas City Chiefs became obsolete and advanced last season. The Chiefs were the last in 10 -yard races or more of their runners with 17, the second lowest for any NFL team in the last 25 years.
To help solve the problem, the Chiefs turned to a seemingly unlikely source in free agency. The Corredor Elijah Mitchell has not played since 2023 due to an injured ischiotibial or has been constantly productive since he was a rookie with the San Francisco 49ers in 2021.
The Chiefs believed that Mitchell, 26, was so good that it was worth the risk now.
“It has a little speed and speed,” said coach Andy Reid. “It also has the ability to catch the ball from the field or [the Chiefs can] flex it. When he was healthy, he did a good job in San Francisco. ”
Mitchell is a different type of back of any of the other two of the bosses, Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco. Mitchell is faster, after having executed the 40 -yard race in 4.38 seconds when it went out for the NFL 2021 draft. With 5 feet 10 and 200 pounds, it is also very different from the player who replaces the list, Samage Perine.
Perine, who played mainly as a third background, is 235 pounds.
“I just call him adding to the room,” Mitchell said. “Whatever necessary, whatever the role you get, that is what it will be for me. The things they do in the offensive are everything I did when I was in San Francisco. ”
Mitchell ran for 963 yards and five touchdowns when he was a rookie. He hastened for 560 yards and four touchdowns while limited to 16 games since lesions. He did not play in 2024 due to an lesion in the hamstrings.
Mitchell said he is healthy and will be ready for total participation when the chiefs begin at low season practice in May. As Reid suggested, Mitchell could also have an impact on receiving. The role of the third round was unemployed when Perine signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals.
“When I was in San Fran, I did all the things of the air game in practice,” Mitchell said. “Just being able to do it in KC, it will open many things, not only for me but for the team. It will be incredible. ”
Hunt led the Chiefs in the race last season with 728 yards despite not joining the Chiefs until the fourth game. But Hunt averaged only 3.6 yards for hauling, the second lowest total of his career.
Hunt did not participate in the training camp last season and said that being with the Chiefs this year through the practice of the low season and the camp will help.
“I am very excited because I feel that will help me in the long run, to be able to prepare my body in the long term, the long season and the routine and not have to start from behind,” said Hunt.
Pacheco lost most of the regular season last year with a broken leg. He returned in time to play the last five games plus the three in the postseason, but averaged only 3.4 yards per hauling in those eight games.
“I think it will be even better this year,” Reid said. “I was forcing that thing to return [when he did]. Most boys would probably not return. If you know him for a minute, you know that he was not going to be retained. I think we will get a better player this year. ”
