Getty Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon.
Not long after the 2023 NFL Draft concluded, the Kansas City Chiefs decided to bring a key free agent veteran back into the fold. The Chiefs are expected to re-sign running back Jerick McKinnon according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport on May 1.
Fans took to Twitter to react to the news.
“Best news I’ve seen all day!” one Twitter user wrote.
“9 of those TDs were in 6 games, and he would have had more if they didn’t need to use him so much as a blocker after Mahomes got hurt…and you guys know I’ve got a soft spot for all former Georgia HS players! I’ll be very happy to see him back,” another user wrote.
“He’s not going to replicate the crazy run he had last year, but his pass blocking alone is worth bringing him back,” Nick Roesch of Chiefs Wire wrote. “Him and a year 2 Pacheco will make a fine tandem.”
“I would be excited about this just to watch McKinnon in pass pro again tbh. One of my favorite parts of his game last year besides the big plays,” another user wrote.
Jerick McKinnon Fresh Off of Career Year
The Chiefs did not draft a running back this year and only signed one from the undrafted rookie pool. So, re-signing Jerick McKinnon was a move that Chiefs Kingdom saw coming. General manager Brett Veach said prior to the draft that the team had been in communication with McKinnon and would reconvene once the draft occurred.
With only four running backs on the roster — Isiah Pacheco, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, La’Mical Perine, and rookie Deneric Prince — McKinnon will run it back with the defending Super Bowl champions for a third-straight season and add more depth to the position.
Though McKinnon, 30, had a rather quiet start to the 2022-2023 regular season, he rounded into form during the second half of the season by way of the passing game.
From Weeks 13-18, McKinnon caught a total of 8 touchdown passes. In Week 17, he set an NFL record for most consecutive games with a receiving touchdown by a running back (5) and increased that streak to 6 games in Week 18. McKinnon’s 9 receiving touchdowns during the regular season tied the NFL record for most by a running back, and he is the first back since Marshall Faulk (2001) to reach that mark, according to Pro Football Talk.
McKinnon displayed a level of explosiveness from a running back in the passing game that we haven’t seen in decades, which is a credit to Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes for utilizing McKinnon’s best asset: his hands.
Chiefs 2023 Free Agency Tracker
Here is a list of the players the Chiefs have signed during free agency thus far, along with their contracts, according to Over The Cap:
- OT Jawaan Taylor (4 years, $80 million)
- DE Charles Omenihu (2 years, $20 million)
- S Mike Edwards (1 year, $3 million)
- LB Drue Tranquill (1 year, $5 million)
- DT Tershawn Wharton (1 year, $2 million)
- OL Nick Allegretti (1 year, $2.5 million)
- OL Prince Tea Wanogho (tendered)
- TE Jody Fortson (tendered)
- QB Shane Buechele (tendered)
- DT Derrick Nnadi (1 year, $1.2 million)
- TE Blake Bell (1 year, $1.1 million)
- DT Byron Cowart (1 year, $1.08 million)
- DT Phil Hoskins (1 year, $940,000)
- S Deon Bush (1 year, $1.3 million)
- WR Richie James (1 year, $1.2 million)
- WR Justin Watson (2 years, $3.5 million)
- QB Blaine Gabbert (1-year, $1.1 million)
- RB Jerick McKinnon
Here are the players that remain free agents:
- DE Frank Clark
- DE Carlos Dunlap
- DT Brandon Williams
- TE Jordan Franks
- LB Darius Harris