During a recent press conference ahead of the start of this stage of the NFL calendar, Mahomes made his stance on the situation clear. The goal, in order to avoid injuries like the one he suffered toward the end of the 2025 season, is to take better care of himself and look for more alternatives in his teammates.

“I plan to be able to to do everything I did before. I’ve been moving around and doing that stuff but, I’m obviously try to take care of myself a little bit better,” he said.

If needed, he now has an elite running back in the offense: “I think I ran little bit too much last season in general, so I’ll try to get better with that. Then if all else fails, I’ll just hand it off to K9 (Kenneth Walker) and let him go to work.”

A major setback for Mahomes

On December 14, 2025, Patrick Mahomes suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his left knee during a Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The injury occurred in the final minutes of the fourth quarter when his knee buckled awkwardy as he was brought down by defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand while trying to scramble out of the pocket.

Mahomes underwent successful surgery the following day to repair both his ACL and LCL, ending a tough 2025 campaign that also saw the Chiefs miss the postseason for the first time since 2014.

Mahomes wants to protect his knee

Recovering from an injury can have different challenges for an NFL player. Mahomes does not want to leave anything to chance, and besides seeking advice from a player of Tom Brady’s caliber, he also has not ruled out the possibility of continuing to wear his knee brace to avoid setbacks.

“I’m going start off with it just because I’ve worn it before and I feel comfortable with it. So that that’s kind of where we will start, but it’s not like I’ve been told I have to wear it or how long I have to wear it,” he said via NBCSports.com.

“It’s just going to be my comfortability how I feel. But I will start with it on just because I feel like I can still move and be myself with it. I played with it in college and then we’ll just see where we go from there.”

What to expect from Kenneth Walker III

Coming off a dominant 2025 campaign with the Seattle Seahawks where he rushed for 1,027 yards and 5 touchdowns on 221 carries (4.6 YPC) while adding 31 receptions for 282 yards—and capping it all off as the Super Bowl LX MVP—expectations for Kenneth Walker III in Kansas City are sky-high.

After signing a three-year contract with the Chiefs in March 2026, the explosive back is set to step immediately into the RB1 role. With his elite contact balance and big-play ability, Walker III will serve as the undisputed focal point of the rushing attack, leaving clear depth and complementary roles for Emari Demercado and rookie Brashard Smith behind him.

What’s next for the Chiefs?

The 2026 NFL training camps are slowly starting to take shape, and while the Chiefs remained cautious regarding Mahomes’ situation, they are now expecting him to be there on July 28. The location where Andy Reid will watch his players return to action will be Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri.

“He’s a good football player, and it won’t change. He’s not gonna change coming to us,” Reid said to Judy Battista on Saturday from the Annual League Meeting. “He’s still going to be a good football player. As long as he stays healthy and moves forward, good things can happen for you.

“We know that the run game’s important and we’ve got good offensive linemen in front of him, so that will be a plus for him. It should be a plus for our football team.”

A powerhouse backfield in Chiefs Kingdom

For the 2026 season, Andy Reid has completely overhauled the Chiefs’ backfield to provide a more explosive, multi-dimensional attack. While Kenneth Walker III leads the group as the clear RB1, the supporting cast offers a diverse set of skills.

Brashard Smith, entering his second year, provides elite speed (4.39-second 40-yard dash) and versatility as a hybrid runner-receiver. He is joined by Emari Demercado, a physical free-agent addition from the Cardinals known for his efficient 7.1 yards per carry last season and reliability in pass protection.

Rounding out the room is ShunDerrick Powell, an intriguing reserve/future signing who was a prolific FCS All-American with over 4,000 career scrimmage yards in college. This collective depth ensures that Reid can maintain his creative offensive schemes even as Patrick Mahomes works his way back to full strength.

A decimated secondary for the Chiefs

While the Kansas City Chiefs have bolstered their roster not only with Kenneth Walker and Justin Fields, and even by retaining Travis Kelce, several players have left Chiefs Kingdom. Names like Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, for instance, will be tough to replace.

“I’ve been in positions as a head coach where we’ve replenished the secondary,” Reid said. “At Green Bay, we replenished in the secondary. I’ve been through that and seen it be productive. Do you want to lose a (Trent) McDuffie? No, but that’s today’s football. That’s how this thing works today.

“So, you’ve got to stay flexible, and then you’ve got to put yourself in a position where you can replenish that. We drafted a good kid (Nohl Williams) last year, so I know we’ll continue to work through that this year. I’m really not worried about it. I look forward to seeing who these people are that come in.”

Looking to bolster the roster in 2026 NFL Draft

Following the mass exodus of their secondary and the need to protect a rehabbing Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs’ primary draft priority is reinforcing the cornerback and offensive tackle positions. Holding the No. 9 overall pick—their first top-ten selection since 2017—the Chiefs are widely expected to target an elite defender like LSU’s Mansoor Delane or a cornerstone tackle like Miami’s Francis Mauigoa to immediately stabilize their roster.

It was Dobbins himself who broke the news of his re-signing with the Broncos. Through a post on his X account, the star running back confirmed he is returning to Denver—or as he called it: “Home”—for 2026.

Much speculation surrounded Dobbins’ future. The 27-year-old half back put on great numbers in his first season with the Broncos. However, he was affected by injuries—a common them throughout his NFL career—causing him to miss 7 games in the regular season and the entire playoffs.

Dobbins finished the 2025 NFL season with 772 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns. Now, he is back with Denver to chase redemption. If the Chiefs want to re-claim the AFC West—and the entire AFC and NFL—they will have to make it past the Broncos, who are showing no signs of getting complacent any time soon.

Broncos depth chart at HB

With Dobbins confirming his return to the organization for the 2026 campaign, the Broncos will keep the backfield core intact. Obviously, all their hopes will lie in Bo Nix and how he recovers from the season-ending injury he suffered in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs. But still, the quarterback has enough weapons around him to make Denver a contender.

According to ourlads.com, the Broncos’ running back depth chart features: J.K. Dobbins, R.J, Harvey, Jaleel McLaughlin (a restricted free agent), and Tyler Badie.

Whether the Broncos will stay on the market for more support in the running game or if they select a running back in the upcoming NFL Draft remains uncertain, but re-signing Dobbins proves Denver is not resting in its laurels and will do everything to assure Kansas City doesn’t challenge for its crown.

Carroll had a decent 2022 season with the Seahawks, as they went 9-8-0 and reached the postseason. However, they lost the Wild Card game against the San Francisco 49ers by a score of 23-41.

The good news for the Seahawks is that Geno Smith was named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year last season. This means that he could play much better than he did last season, especially with an improved offensive and defensive line.

What happened to two of the Seahawks’ running backs?

According to Pete Carroll, two running backs did not practice on July 30, 2023, due to injuries. Kenneth Walker is dealing with a groin injury that will keep him out of action for a while. And Zach Charbonnet is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury.

Kenneth Walker was with the Seattle Seahawks last season but Zach Charbonnet, from UCLA, recently joined the team after he was selected during the 2023 NFL Draft.