The Kansas City Chiefs are entering a pivotal offseason as they look to remain a Super Bowl contender in the AFC.
Last season, the Chiefs failed to make the playoffs. They also saw superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes go down late in the season with a torn ACL. That has placed his availability for Week 1 in jeopardy.
Kansas City still has the talent necessary to be a contender. However, the team will need to add some outside talent to bolster its chances. The Chiefs are also still waiting Travis Kelce’s decision about his NFL future, although all signs point to him returning for one more year.
With that being said, a new prediction has been made about a player who Kansas City could bring in to bolster its offense around Mahomes.
Fox Sports NFL reporter Eric Williams has predicted that the Chiefs will end up signing Jacksonville Jaguars free agent running back Travis Etienne Jr. this offseason.
“Etienne was one of the best backs in football in 2025, totaling 1,107 rushing yards and seven touchdowns with the Jaguars,” Williams wrote. “He can also catch the ball out of the backfield, with 36 receptions for 292 receiving yards and seven scores. Etienne would add a dynamic, explosive dimension to Kansas City's offense.”
Etienne would be an excellent addition for the Kansas City offense. Even though he hasn’t lived up to the hype that he entered the NFL with, he’s a quality dual-threat running back who would help alleviate some pressure off of Mahomes.
Throughout his first four years with the Jaguars, the 27-year-old running back has carried the football 897 times for 3,798 yards and 25 touchdowns. He has averaged 4.2 yards per carry. In addition, Etienne has caught 168 passes for 1,338 yards and seven more touchdowns.
Spotrac has projected that Etienne will earn a contract worth around $6.8 million per year. They have suggested a potential two-year, $13.6 million contract for him in free agency.
Only time will tell where the running back will end up signing this offseason. At the very least, the Chiefs are a team who would make a lot of sense for him and could also use help in the backfield.
2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.