Chiefs reunion does way more than just replace Isiah Pacheco

When Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco was announced to be out of action for 6-8 weeks with a broken fibula, it seemed as if the defending back-to-back champs were seemingly destined to roll with veteran Samaje Perine and rookie UDFA bruiser Carson Steele in the backfield to try and weather the storm.

That's not the case any longer.

Per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Chiefs are reuniting with former running back Kareem Hunt, who had been unsigned after the first two weeks of the season and spent the last five seasons with the Cleveland Browns as the secondary option to Nick Chubb:

Hunt will begin on the practice squad but, according to Schultz, the expectation is that he'll be added to the active roster sooner rather than later.

Chiefs reunite with Kareem Hunt, add more to offense than just Pacheco replacement

Hunt spent his first two seasons with the Chiefs, including a breakout rookie campaign in 2017 when he amassed 1,327 rushing yards with 455 receiving yards with 11 total touchdowns. Given the importance of Pacheco in this offense with Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid will be hoping (and surely thankful) for anything close to that in this new stint.

Of course, Hunt was released two seasons after he was drafted after video surfaced of the running back pushing a woman to the ground and kicking her. No criminal charges were ever filed.

The addition of Hunt this time around — after he's largely stayed out of trouble since the 2018 incident — is obviously a second chance. But on the field, it's a move that could pay absolutely massive dividends for the Chiefs in their hopes of three-peating as Super Bowl champions.

The numbers for Hunt in recent years have declined, partially due to his backup role becoming more pronounced, partially due to a porous Browns offensive line, and partially due to some decline now at 29 years old. From 2020-22, however, Hunt still averaged 703 yards and six touchdowns per 17 games with the Browns in the run game along with 39 receptions, 285 yards and two scores.

That dual-threat ability is absolutely vital for the Chiefs offense. Not only does Pacheco offer some of that when healthy, but the combo of Perine and Steele that Kansas City was previously looking at would be a clear delineation between what role each was playing in the offense. Steele may play some of that role, particularly in short-yardage or goal-line situations but Hunt can be a dual-threat player who's also familiar with Andy Reid and this scheme.

What's more, not needing to rotate backs situationally will be a massive advantage for Mahomes and the Chiefs while Pacheco is out while also offering some insurance once he does return. It may seem simple but defensive coordinators on the opposing sidelines would have little difficulty diagnosing whether it was likelier to be a run or pass based on personnel, specifically if Perine or Steele was on the field.

With Hunt, that became much harder to ascertain based on the players that the Chiefs will have on the field, which opens more doors for Reid and Mahomes to cook and make this offense as functional as possible. And given that there have been some early offensive hiccups for Kansas City this season (and that they're already without Marquise Brown), that's massively important.

Just looking solely at what it means on the field, Hunt is the perfect addition for the Chiefs to make in this situation. His familiarity and calling card as a running back who can be effective both as a runner and pass-catcher is exactly what this offense needed to keep the wheels on without Pacheco. He'll bring them more than just a veteran fill-in and, just possibly, could make sure Kansas City doesn't miss a beat at all without their starter in the backfield.