The Kansas City Chiefs are at a crossroads at 2-3 with the trade deadline less than a month away.
Kansas City’s offense has improved over the past two games, despite Monday’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, the Chiefs need a boost in the backfield, and Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay writes that the Chiefs ought to go for Miami Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright and only give up a 2026 sixth-round pick in the process. Wright is in the second year of a four-year, $4.78 million deal with the Dolphins.
The Miami Dolphins have fallen apart during a 1-4 start to the 2025 season. With little hope of turning things around, expect them to host a fire sale ahead of the trade deadline,” Kay wrote. “While star running back De’Von Achane may be the real prize in Miami’s backfield, his affordable contract, youth and production will likely make him too costly for contenders to land.”
“Backup Jaylen Wright is far more likely to be moved, as he’s fallen out of favor in the backfield and hasn’t lived up to his immense potential since being drafted in Round 4 last year,” Kay continued. “At his best, Wright is a dynamic playmaker who can make good things happen with the ball in his hands. He profiles as an equally competent rusher and receiver, a versatile back who could jump-start a flailing ground game for a team that needs some athleticism.”
Chiefs Need Running Back Help
While Kansas City had two rushing touchdowns from running back Kareem Hunt on Monday, the Chiefs‘ backfield still needs more help going forward.
“Starter Isiah Pacheco is having a pedestrian campaign, rushing for 127 yards and zero touchdowns on his 32 carries. Backup Kareem Hunt looks washed again following a resurgent 2024 season, averaging just 3.2 yards per carry and finding the end zone just once in 2025,” Kay wrote.
Despite Hunt’s 49-yard, two-touchdown performance on Monday, it doesn’t signal he’s going to have a resurgence. Hunt had one touchdown going into Monday’s game, and he never eclipsed 34 yards in a game before the loss.
“With quarterback Patrick Mahomes leading the team in rushing, Kansas City clearly needs to find a backfield spark,” Kay continued.
That could be a problem for the Chiefs as Mahomes has rushed for 190 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries. He hasn’t put on an unusually large load at this point, but that could change if the running back room doesn’t improve.
“While the cash-strapped contender won’t be able to splurge on a high-profile back, taking a chance on someone like Wright could result in this squad finally getting its rushing attack figured out and help drive yet another Super Bowl run.”
Jaylen Wright Background
A North Carolina native, Wright became a prep star at Southern Durham before a standout career at Tennessee from 2021 to 2023.
He made All-SEC with the Volunteers in 2023 to cap a solid three seasons on the field in Knoxville. Wright rushed for 409 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman in 2021, and he tallied 875 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2022. He improved to 1,013 yards and four touchdowns in 2023.
The Dolphins selected Wright with a fourth-round draft pick in 2024, and he ran for 249 yards, a 3.7-yard average, as a rookie last year.
