With the Kansas City Chiefs needing to clear approximately $11 million in the salary cap, they are in urgent need of upgrading their offensive unit, as multiple players, including Isiah Pacheco, will hit the free agency market next month. The Athletic’s Jesse Newell thinks the 26-year-old is edging towards a departure from the franchise.

“He seems likely to sign elsewhere,” noted Newell. “With that team hoping the 26-year-old can see a career resurgence with better health luck.”

A seventh-round pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, Isiah completed the final year of his rookie contract after the 2025 season. His four-year contract was worth $3.7 million, paying him approximately $934,777 a year.

Although he was a seventh-round selection, the RB showed great promise in the first couple of years of his NFL career, amassing big numbers on the gridiron and giving confidence to Andy Reid that the team might have secured a long-term, dependable solution for the running back position. However, his recurring injury problems took a heavy toll on his career at the Chiefs.

In his rookie season and the following year, he quickly ascended to become a reliable starter in the Patrick Mahomes-led offense. In the first year, he recorded 830 rushing yards and started 11 games. The 2023 season was his breakout year with an impressive 935 rushing yards— the highest in his NFL career. Despite accumulating good numbers, injuries had been a lingering issue in his career, as he played the rookie season, including the Super Bowl LVII, with a broken hand and torn labrum.

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Bad health luck began to significantly derail his NFL career following the 2024 season, when he played only 7 games after suffering a fractured fibula. Moreover, the last season was disrupted by a knee injury, which negatively impacted his performance, as he registered only 462 rushing yards from 12 starts. Amid concerns surrounding his lack of consistency and injury history, the four-time Super Bowl champions seemingly do not intend to re-sign him, and Isiah could also be aiming to start over with a new team.

As Isiah’s departure looks certain, the Chiefs might have a better running back for consideration from free agency. The Jacksonville Jaguars’ Travis Etienne’s name is emerging as a potential replacement.

Free agent RB Travis Etienne could solve the Chiefs’ backfield concerns

Travis Etienne is a versatile running back who has spent a total of five seasons in the league, missing the action in the first season due to an injury. He was a first-round pick of the 2021 NFL Draft and was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, he is set to be an unrestricted free agent in March.

As per the Kansas City Chiefs insider and beat writer, Pete Sweeney, Travis Etienne has expressed a strong desire to join the Kansas City Chiefs as he is set to hit free agency.

The franchise has an urgent requirement at the running back position, and the 27-year-old could be a viable option, which is backed by his remarkable records in the past few seasons. Playing 66 NFL games, the RB has 3798 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns. Except for the 2024 season, he surpassed the 1000-yard mark in three other seasons of his career. Comparatively, Isiah failed to reach the 1000-yard milestone in a single season.

As a first draft pick, his Jacksonville Jaguars contract was worth $12.9 million. On the other hand, Spotrac predicts his current market valuation is approximately $6.8 million per year. If the Chiefs indeed sign him, his contract valuation is likely to be around $13.6 million. Considering Travis is only 27 and has an injury-free track record for most of his career, he could be a strong addition to the Chiefs’ squad. After showing an impressive chemistry with Trevor Lawrence, he could potentially reach another level with three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes.