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The Kansas City Chiefs suffered two injuries at the running back position during their win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 11.
It’s not entirely how clear how severe the injuries are yet, and we likely won’t have any answers until next week. The Chiefs should be looking for more options at the position anyway because they’ve seemingly failed to find any consistency out of the position group this season.
During the preseason, everyone thought rookie Darwin Thompson was due for a big year. He’s failed to make much of an impact, only being active for seven games this season. LeSean McCoy seems to be their best running back, but he’s long in the tooth and not quite as effective. Damien and Darrel Williams both seem to be in spot roles, but neither has been convincing as the lead running back.
Luckily, a running back is available who could alleviate some pressure down the stretch. Former Baltimore Ravens running back Alex Collins was officially reinstated by the league from a three-game suspension on Tuesday. His suspension stemmed from an arrest in March in which he was charged with marijuana and firearms possession. He accepted a plea deal in the case.
Collins also suffered a broken leg during the offseason and had surgery to repair the injury. He now claims that he is fully healthy and recovered from that injury.
During his two seasons with the Ravens, Collins quickly established himself as a starter and a good one at that. He played in 25 total games with 326 carries for 1,384 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also had 38 receptions on 56 targets for 292 yards and a touchdown. At 5 feet 10 and 210 pounds, he has good size; it’s hard for defenders to bring him down on first contact. Collins showcases a similar elusiveness and contact balance to former Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt. One area that Collins probably wouldn’t help is with ball security — he had seven fumbles during his career with the Ravens.
The Chiefs don’t need another headache off the field, but if Collins is reformed and ready to play football, Kansas City could be a good next stop for him.