Following a 2025 campaign that didn’t end with a Super Bowl trophy, the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense will look to add weapons to ensure 2026 ends on a brighter note. To prepare for that, the Chiefs could sign Travis Etienne, as the running back is set to hit free agency on March 11.
Travis Etienne Could Be The Missing Spark For Kansas City
While the NFL has come to expect greatness from Patrick Mahomes, 2025 proved that even a superstar, face-of-the-league quarterback needs weapons around him. The leading rusher for the Chiefs in 2025 was Kareem Hunt with 611 yards, while Mahomes had 422 rushing yards himself in just 14 games.
Etienne has surpassed the 1,000-yard mark in three of his four seasons in the NFL and has scored 32 touchdowns, all with the Jacksonville Jaguars. That kind of consistency is something Mahomes and company would love to have as a stable force in a wildly creative offense.
According to Pete Sweeney of the Kansas City Star, Etienne could already be aiming to sign with the Chiefs.
“Ahead of Combine week, I’m hearing there’s legitimate interest from Travis Etienne to come to KC,” Sweeney wrote on X. “Etienne’s due to become a UFA on 3/11, and the Chiefs need a running back. We’ll see.”
Chiefs’ Salary Cap Situation Not In Etienne’s Favor
Even after restructuring Mahomes’ contract to save Kansas City $43.65 million, the team is still over the salary cap by $11.35 million. That doesn’t usually line up well with Etienne, who has one of the highest expected salaries in the running back free agent pool.
Spotrac projects the Jaguars running back to get the fifth-highest expected salary at his position in free agency ($6.81 million). It would create a difficult choice for the Chiefs, as Isiah Pacheco is also a free agent with a lower projected price tag ($4.34 million).
Now, Pacheco struggled with injuries and production in 2025 (462 rushing yards), which may make the Chiefs’ decision easier. Even at his best, the 26-year-old running back was more of an athlete who benefited from being in Andy Reid’s system of brilliance. Now, with two consecutive seasons plagued by injuries and a lack of results, it isn’t assured that he can return to form.
If Kansas City decided that it would come down to a choice between Pacheco or the pricier Etienne, on paper, the answer would seem to be the latter every time.
According to PFSN’s RB Impact Metric, Pacheco finished the season as the 49th-ranked running back in the league with an impact score of 47.1 and was graded F. In comparison, Etienne ranked 26th in the league with an impact score of 63.5 and was graded D.
With an aging Mahomes, Travis Kelce nearing the end of a storied career, and a front office that can see the Super Bowl window closing on them, adding a legitimate running back option has to be a priority. Otherwise, Kansas City will spend another season unsuccessfully trying to get back to the top of the NFL mountain.
