Kenneth Walker III is unlocking a piece of Andy Reid’s offense at Kansas City Chiefs’ training camp that has been absent for years
The Kansas City Chiefs’ screen passing game has gone flat in recent years. Kenneth Walker III appears to be a key piece in the puzzle to bringing it back for Andy Reid’s offense.
Kansas City Chiefs RB Kenneth Walker III was a major prize in 2026 NFL free agency.
The former Seattle Seahawks star is expected to add an element of explosion to the offense that was sorely missing during the 2025 NFL season. Beyond that, Walker can also help revive a specific piece of Andy Reid’s offense that has been dormant for years: the screen game.
During Reid’s early tenure as head coach of the Chiefs, the running back position featured elite talent in Jamaal Charles, and Reid used that talent to scheme one of the nastiest screen games in the NFL. There wouldn’t be a game that went by without then-quarterback Alex Smith dumping off a handful of screen passes to Charles, keeping defenses honest.
That element has gradually faded from the offense for several reasons. That includes shifting NFL trends, personnel limitations in Kansas City, and a lack of continuity along the offensive line. In 2025, the team ranked 18th in the NFL by EPA per screen pass.
With Walker joining the offense alongside a season of relative stability on the offensive line, Kansas City is looking at the perfect storm to get the screen game moving in the right direction again. Walker’s performance during screen drills has already drawn praise from teammates. Offensive linemen Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey described him as “a monster” after his first three OTA sessions.
At training camp, things are really starting to blossom.
Chiefs RB Kenneth Walker’s pass-catching ability is being taken to a new level
A big topic has already been the fact that Walker expects to see more work in the passing game in Kansas City than he did during his time in Seattle. He previously told Kay Adams that he had been working with QB Patrick Mahomes to build chemistry and get their timing right in the passing game.
Walker averaged fewer than 40 catches and 300 receiving yards per season across his four years with the Seahawks. His busiest season as a receiver came in 2024, when he hauled in 46 catches on 53 targets for 299 yards. He has only two receiving touchdowns in his entire career.
Compare that to the running backs during Eric Bieniemy’s heyday as offensive coordinator. In 2021 and 2022, Darrel Williams and Jerick McKinnon each recorded at least 40 receptions per season under Bieniemy. His offenses during his five years as coordinator ranked in the top five in passing yards each season. They also ranked no higher than 16th in rushing yards. The running backs he had to work with were simply better suited for the passing game. Walker is the first true volume rusher Reid’s offense has featured in years, but everyone knows this system is pass-first. That makes unlocking the screen game again all the more important.
Chiefs safety Alohi Gilman and center Creed Humphrey have already taken notice of what Walker brings to the table.
“He’s a beast,” Gilman said in early July. “Seeing him run the ball, I’ve got a lot of respect for guys like that. They’re about their business. I think it’ll bring good energy to this offense. It’s awesome to be his teammate.”
“Dynamic player, you know, freak athlete, great with his reads, everything like that,” Humphrey said on Thursday. “So, we’re really excited to get him in there and start working with him.”
Offensive line continuity is the other key ingredient for the Chiefs’ screen game
The screen game revival is not solely about Walker. The offensive line’s continuity plays an equally significant role. This is the first time in a long stretch where Kansas City could return four starters on the offensive line. That type of stability matters because the screen game requires precise timing, and strong chemistry among linemen landing blocks out in space.
The Chiefs have good athletes along the offensive line. Their biggest question mark might be right tackle, where a three-way competition is playing out between incumbent Jaylon Moore and players like Esa Pole and Kahlil Benson. How that position shakes out will depend on what happens when the pads come on.
The other four starters, Josh Simmons at left tackle, Kingsley Soamataia at left guard, Creed Humphrey at center, and Trey Smith at right guard, have played together for at least one season at those positions. They have the chemistry and the requisite athleticism. Now it comes down to implementing the scheme with the running backs they have.
Walker leads revamped Kansas City Chiefs running back room as do-it-all player
Walker believes he can be equally successful as a runner as he is as a receiver. He’s not shying away from anything or any role during Chiefs training camp.
“Honestly, I believe I can make a positive impact on everything,” Walker said on Wednesday. “Whatever they need me to do, that’s what I’m going to do.”
His style and patience as a runner also work well with the screen game.
“I feel like that helps the O-Line,” Walker said. “Sometimes you’ve got to be fast; other times you’ve got to be patient, let the blocks develop, and just hit the hole.”
Emari Demercado adds similar burst behind Walker, and second-year running back Brashard Smith adds depth to a group tailor-made for a strong screen passing attack.
Adding the screen game wrinkle back to the playbook gives Kansas City another way to keep defenses honest, especially with Mahomes still working back from his knee injury. The screen game could serve as a pressure valve, and Walker is the catalyst to make it work.