The Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Philadelphia Eagles, 40-22, in Super Bowl 59. The offensive line was a massive issue for them. As a result, not only did the Eagles pressure the Chiefs all evening long, but they were completely unable to run the ball.
Their leading rusher was quarterback Patrick Mahomes, with four carries for 25 yards. From there, running backs Kareem Hunt, Samaje Perine, and Isiah Pacheco combined for seven carries and 24 yards.
Well, they may have some answers this offseason in free agency if PFSN’s Sterling Xie has anything to say about it.
What Would Najee Harris to the Chiefs Look Like?
In 2024, the Chiefs averaged 101.2 rushing yards per game, which was 26th in the NFL.
Well, Xie predicts the Chiefs will add former first-round and Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris. Here’s what Xie had to say about the addition:
“Najee Harris isn’t the most exciting running back, but he has a proven history of production and durability. Harris exceeded 1,000 rushing yards in all four seasons with the Steelers and demonstrated he could hold up to receiving back work as a rookie in 2021 with 74 catches.
The Chiefs leaned on Kareem Hunt during his second stint with the team, but Hunt ran out of gas and finished with 3.6 yards per carry. Harris could bring a similar level of reliability to Hunt, but at a younger age and with more receiving ability.
The latter would help restore a lost element of the Chiefs’ offense. Patrick Mahomes finished with a career-low 4.2 completions per game to running backs, and his 0.12 EPA per dropback targeting RBs was his lowest since 2020.
That would make Harris a worthwhile complement to Isiah Pacheco, whose physical running style and below-average frame make him an injury risk moving forward.”
As Xie points out, Harris has surpassed 1,000 each year of his career. However, he hasn’t been the most efficient. His best yards-per-carry average in a single season was 2023 at 4.1.
Still, Harris is younger and has shown to have pass-catching capabilities. He’s scored 28 rushing touchdowns over his four-year career and six in the passing game.
Even if the Chiefs add Harris, there’s some concern for this offensive line, especially with the team trading All-Pro-level guard Joe Thuney, who filled in at left tackle throughout most of the 2024 season. In PFSN’s offensive line rankings, the Chiefs finished the season 12th with a B- grade.
“The issue was at left tackle because the other four positions up front have been excellent. The recent numbers emphasize just how important the blindside tackle is because, despite quality numbers for the other four players on the line, the overall mark is a concern. We also saw this issue derail their offense in the Super Bowl.”
Now, they have Mike Caliendo slated to start at left guard. Of course, there’s plenty of free agency to go along with the 2025 NFL Draft.
Now more than ever, it’s looking like the Chiefs may go offensive line at No. 31 overall.