RBs remain available
This could change at any minute, and for their sake, we certainly hope that opportunities come soon enough, but for now, former Chiefs running backs Darrel Williams and Jerick McKinnon are both still waiting for any real interest in free agency.
The only interest at all shown to either player so far in free agency is an early-April visit for Williams with the Arizona Cardinals. However, nothing happened at that moment and the Cards invested a sixth-round pick in Keontay Ingram to go with a couple of rookie free agent flyers. It makes sense for the Cardinals to look at what these young players bring in further minicamps and even training camp before locking up a vet if they can solve their issues in-house.
Given that most teams likely added a young back or two in the draft or thereafter, both McKinnon and Williams might have to wait for another couple of months before activity picks up. That’s unfair given what they brought to the field for the Chiefs in the last year, but that’s the nature of the running back role in the league these days. A player is either elite and chased early or treated as an afterthought.
But for the record, it’s worth noting that Williams has ascended the Chiefs’ depth chart to become a much more well-rounded player than the one who first arrived back in 2018. His hands were a big surprise in ’21 and he could be a nice weapon in someone’s backfield next year. The same could be said for the spark that McKinnon can provide as a pass catcher and speedy rushing threat who can get to the edge and do some real damage.
They should get their chances, but it’s a surprise to us that both players are still available.
