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With a disappointing end to their 2024 season, the Kansas City Chiefs entered the offseason with clear needs to address in free agency. After suffering from one of the worst run games all season, the Chiefs addressed one of those areas by signing running back Elijah Mitchell.
Coming off a lopsided loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, the Chiefs have taken an unexpected approach to the offseason. General manager Brett Veach started the process by trading former All-Pro guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears, only to additionally lose Tershawn Wharton, Josh Uche, DeAndre Hopkins and Derrick Nnadi in free agency.
While in no position to make a big splash in free agency, Kansas City still managed to pry two key players away from the San Francisco 49ers. Right after signing Mitchell, Veach pulled a bigger fish by signing left tackle Jaylon Moore to a two-year, $30 million deal. Moore projects to be one of just two new offensive starters in 2025.
The majority of the Chiefs' offseason additions came in the draft, where they left with seven new rookies. Kansas City made tackle Josh Simmons the final pick of the first round while also notably adding cornerback Nohl Williams, wideout Jalen Royals and edge-rusher Ashton Gillotte.
However, signing Mitchell was still the Chiefs' best offseason move. While not the type of game-changer who will shake up the league, Mitchell can potentially make fans wonder how he joined Kansas City's dynasty for only $3.5 million.
Signing Elijah Mitchell was the right move
Appearing in just 27 games through four years, Elijah Mitchell's biggest concern has always been his lack of durability. His availability issues peaked in 2024 when the former sixth-round pick missed the entire season due to a hamstring injury.
As he hobbled into the 2025 offseason, Mitchell lost all the momentum he gained early in his career. Despite entering the league as an afterthought, Mitchell took over the 49ers' backfield as a rookie, running for 963 yards and five touchdowns on 4.7 yards per carry. Yet, three years later, teams merely view him as an injury-prone 27-year-old with just 560 total rushing yards since 2022.
Regardless, there is a reason Kansas City made Mitchell its first signing in free agency. The Chiefs desperately need running back help, and Mitchell was available at a discount. Veach quickly came to terms with the former 49ers standout, forking over just a few million dollars to seal the deal. His injury history is a massive red flag, but his current price tag makes him a low-risk, high-reward asset.
At a glance, Mitchell's numbers have not lived up to his rookie year expectations. He has not surpassed 281 yards since then and averaged just 25 yards per game in 2023. But with San Francisco acquiring Christian McCaffrey early in the 2022 season, his career never got the chance to fully develop. Perhaps injuries would have derailed him regardless, but there were moments earlier in their shared timeline when Mitchell outplayed McCaffrey.
Given Mitchell's low salary, he is not even guaranteed a roster spot in the fall. But with Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt struggling as much as they did in 2024, he could realistically take over the backfield and get his career back on track.
Chiefs needed running back help in free agency
The Chiefs secured their third consecutive AFC title in 2024, but were far from a perfect team. Without Rashee Rice for most of the year, their offense looked more like a liability than an asset as Kansas City routinely squeaked out single-possession victories.
Operating with Pacheco and Hunt in the backfield, the Chiefs' run game was easily their biggest hindrance all season. Pacheco entered the year with high expectations, but only topped 50 yards twice while missing a large portion of the season with a fractured fibula. Hunt, who signed with the team midseason, quickly took over the room but posted worse efficiency numbers, averaging just 3.6 yards per tote.
The dreadful combination of the two resulted in the Chiefs ranking 31st in yards per rush, 26th in rushing yards per game and dead last in explosive run rate. The lack of a ground game was painfully evident in the Super Bowl, in which Pacheco and Hunt combined for a paltry 16 rushing yards.
Given all his concerns, Elijah Mitchell is far from a surefire answer. But without any big-name free agents on the market, he was a perfect buy-low signing for the Chiefs in free agency. Kansas City will need him to stay on the field, but if he can return to vintage form, his presence would immediately elevate the plateauing offense.
Worst case scenario, the Chiefs will simply turn back to Pacheco, who averaged 4.7 yards per carry in his first two seasons before suffering his gruesome injury. There is almost no risk to signing Mitchell, making him their best offseason move.
