With the Kansas City Chiefs embracing the full rebuild at the running back position, pending free agent Isiah Pacheco will likely leave for a new team this offseason. Even though there are several premium, highly effective running backs such as Breece Hall, Rico Dowdle, Javonte Williams and Kenneth Walker, Pacheco still has a chance to have a decent market. He won’t sign the best contract out of the running backs named, but Pacheco could still change his career around in the right environment. Despite the Chiefs having some financial flexibility after restructuring Patrick Mahomes’ contract, Jesse Newell of The Athletic still believes Pacheco is gone.
Isiah Pacheco is “Likely” to Leave Chiefs; 3 Best Landing Spots
It’s hard to decipher where Pacheco could go. The running back has dealt with multiple injuries and durability issues in the past back-to-back seasons with the Chiefs. Kansas City brought back veteran Kareem Hunt, who’s heading to free agency as well, to somewhat revive this run game. Unfortunately, the team needs to embrace drafting a new downhill runner in April or get a low-stakes one in free agency.
Either way, for Pacheco, there are still plenty of teams out there that need a running back. This includes rosters that could be willing to get Pacheco on a “one-year prove-it” deal. Once a seventh-round pick coming out of the 2022 NFL Draft class, Pacheco had a chance to solidify himself as a keystone running back for the Chiefs’ offense. However, he will need to recapture his form elsewhere, and these three teams might serve him in the best environment for the 2026 campaign.
Best Possible Fits
Houston Texans
The Texans might suit Pacheco the best at this point in his career. Between Woody Marks and Nick Chubb, the Texans have done exceptionally well in getting both of these running backs at the highest ceiling. With Joe Mixon likely to be released, Pacheco could step in and fortify this run game. It might be harder for Pacheco to get playing time, but the Texans should invest in him since he’s an experienced Super Bowl ball-carrier.
Quarterback CJ Stroud isn’t going to throw for more than 300+ passing yards anymore, and their defense pulling most of the weight during the 2025 regular season proved that. Similar to the Chargers, the Texans are what they call a “trenches” team that should rely on their run game and defense to put them in the AFC Championship Game. Pacheco isn’t going to carry Chubb or Marks on his back, but his presence should be useful in situational scenarios.
Dallas Cowboys
Meanwhile, another possibility is America’s team. The Cowboys have been no stranger of bringing a halfback back to life. After letting Rico Dowdle go to test free agency, the team rolled the dice on Javonte Williams, and it has paid off. Even if Williams returns on a two-year deal, they should still eye Pacheco for backup duties and let Miles Sanders go. This would allow former 2025 draft pick Jaydon Blue continue to learn behind Pacheco and Williams.
Jacksonville Jaguars
With Travis Etienne likely to be untagged and hitting free agency, the Jaguars will still need a decent veteran running back. After trading Tank Bigsby to the Eagles this past season, it was clear that head coach Liam Coen is banking on Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen Jr. as the future leading the pack. However, the Jaguars are pushing for a Super Bowl appearance sooner rather than later under quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The Jaguars could sign Pacheco to a one-year deal to share the snaps with Tuten to see how this duo can fare off with one another.