ESPN analyst predicts Kansas City Chiefs’ big offseason move to sign 1,000-yard rusher in free agency

Is this the right running back for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2026 NFL free agency?

Charles Goldman — NFL Managing Editor
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The 2026 NFL offseason is upon us with the new league year set to begin on March 11. The Kansas City Chiefs have a ton of work to do before we even get to that point, with several moves needed to get the team salary-cap compliant and give them money to spend in free agency. The stakes are higher than ever, with a growing need to improve a roster that just put up the worst regular-season record of the Andy Reid era.

So what are some of the needed changes on the agenda for Kansas City during the 2026 NFL offseason?

ESPN recently released an article polling 11 NFL experts — Matt Bowen, Jeremy Fowler, Dan Graziano, Pamela Maldonado, Eric Moody, Jason Reid, Aaron Schatz, Ben Solak, Mike Tannenbaum, Seth Walder, and Field Yates — on predictions for the 2026 NFL season. One of the “big” predictions came from ESPN fantasy football and sports betting analyst Eric Moody, who is sending a 1,000-yard rusher to Kansas City via free agency in 2026.

ESPN’s Eric Moody sends Jaguars RB Travis Etienne Jr. to Chiefs in big offseason prediction

There’s little denying that the running back position is perhaps the Chiefs’ biggest need heading into the 2026 NFL offseason. As things currently stand on the 90-man offseason roster, just two of the 54 players under contract for the 2026 NFL season are running backs, and only one of them has ever played a snap in an NFL game (Brashard Smith). The need for a more explosive play-making threat is absolutely there, which makes this 5-foot-10 and 215-pound running back an option for Kansas City. Travis Etienne Jr. is only 27 years old with a lot of good football left ahead of him and a promising track record, so long as he can stay healthy.

Here’s what Moody had to say about the former 2021 first-round draft pick out of Clemson by the Jacksonville Jaguars and his fit with the Chiefs:

“Running back Travis Etienne Jr. will sign with the Chiefs during free agency. Etienne would be intriguing as a proven, versatile back who has surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in three of his four healthy seasons, including 1,107 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025. His ability to contribute as both a runner and receiver (5,136 career all-purpose yards with 32 touchdowns) would boost a Chiefs backfield that averaged less 4.0 yards per carry last season and failed to produce a running back with at least 200 receiving yards.”

Travis Etienne Jr. career NFL stats

  • Games started: 60
  • Carries: 897
  • Rushing yards: 3,798
  • Rushing touchdowns: 25
  • Receptions: 168
  • Receiving yards: 1,338
  • Receiving touchdowns: 7

The numbers, when stacked up against those of the Chiefs’ backs last season, certainly have great appeal. Etienne is also projected to receive a contract averaging $6.8 million to $8.8 million per year, which, if accurate, adds even more appeal. I wouldn’t be surprised if he averaged closer to $10 million per year, given the market and a bit of a renaissance in the NFL running game.

One thing Moody overlooked would take this signing over the top for Kansas City, though

One thing Eric Moody is forgetting makes Travis Etienne Jr. the perfect option for the Chiefs in free agency

With Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt slated for free agency, the Chiefs could suddenly be without their two best pass-blocking backs. Of the players at the position who are slated for free agency, Etienne is one of the better options when it comes to pass-blocking. He’s coming off what was the best season in his career in that regard, allowing just five total pressures and no sacks on 83 pass-blocking attempts per Pro Football Focus. His 68.0 PFF pass-blocking grade is only beaten by pending free agents like Tyler Allegeier and Kenneth Gainwell, who each had roughly four times fewer pass-blocking attempts in 2025.

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