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    • What Isiah Pacheco’s Injury and Kareem Hunt’s Visit Mean
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    What Isiah Pacheco’s Injury and Kareem Hunt’s Visit Mean

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    The Kansas City Chiefs earned a walk-off win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2 to improve their season record to 2-0, but the victory came at a cost. The Chiefs lost starting running back Isiah Pacheco to a fractured fibula.

    Pacheco’s injury occurred when the third-year running back awkwardly bent over backwards while being tackled during a 1-yard run in the final minutes of the game. He walked off the field and left the stadium on crutches and in a walking boot.

    According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Pacheco will miss 6-8 weeks with the injury. That means he’ll be sidelined until at least Kansas City’s Week 9 date with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov. 4, so the Chiefs will need to create a suitable running back rotation to complement Patrick Mahomes until then.

    UPDATE ON ISIAH PACHECO INJURIES: Latest Chiefs RB news after suffering leg injury

    The Chiefs are already missing backup Clyde Edwards-Helaire, as he went on the non-football illness (NFI) list before the season and will be out until at least Week 4. That leaves the Chiefs with just two healthy backs on their 53-man roster, and neither has been a three-down starter in the NFL to this point.

    That’s one reason the Chiefs are visiting veteran running back Kareem Hunt on Tuesday, as they consider adding depth to their thinning backfield.

    Chiefs RB depth chart after Isiah Pacheco injury

    The Chiefs have just two healthy running backs on their 53-man roster after Pacheco’s injury. They are:

    Perine is an eight-year veteran who was signed by the Chiefs before the season after he was fired by the Denver Broncos. Perine has developed into a solid third-down back, so he’ll likely see plenty of action in pass-catching situations and as a do-it-all backfielder.

    That said, Steele could move ahead of Perine in the rotation as a between-the-tackles runner. The undrafted rookie has recorded nine carries for 27 yards in the first two games, while Perine’s only touches were two receptions for 13 yards. That could indicate that Andy Reid wants to use Steele on early downs and Perine in passing situations.

    Regardless, those two will shoulder the bulk of Kansas City’s workload, though the Chiefs will still need a third defenseman to handle game-day duties.

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    Kansas City has a pair of candidates for that role on its practice squad. The team could call up Keaontay Ingram — a 2022 sixth-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals who has 134 yards and a touchdown on 62 career carries — or Emani Bailey, an undrafted free agent out of TCU, to serve as a third option behind Perine and Steele. That might be their preferred course of action if they believe Edwards-Helaire can return to action in Week 5.

    But the team could also look to experienced options outside the organization, which is expected to happen on Tuesday when Hunt visits.

    Kareem Hunt to visit Chiefs on Tuesday, according to report

    The Chiefs are planning to sign veteran running back Kareem Hunt on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. It’s not a guarantee that Hunt will sign with the Chiefs, but the 29-year-old would provide the team with a proven, experienced backfield leader as they await the return of Pacheco and Edwards-Helaire.

    Kansas City originally selected Hunt in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, and he led the NFL in rushing yards during his rookie season with 1,327. He appeared to be a star for the Chiefs, but he was released during the 2018 season after a video of him throwing and kicking a woman to the ground went viral.

    Hunt signed with the Cleveland Browns during the 2019 offseason and remained with them for the next five seasons. He served primarily as a complementary player behind Nick Chubb and eclipsed 1,000 scrimmage yards just once.

    Still, Hunt would give the Chiefs some much-needed backfield experience. He has 1,030 career carries, which is nearly double what Perine, Steele, Ingram and Bailey have combined for (525).

    And while Hunt’s 411 yards on 135 carries during the 2023 season aren’t particularly impressive, he did score nine rushing touchdowns for the Browns, which could allow him to carve out a goal-line role in Kansas City.

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