Earlier in the day, Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid was asked about the length of time running back Isiah Pacheco would miss post-surgery. The head coach didn’t know if he would return this year or next. Today, we might have received a hint about when his return might be on the field.
NFL Network insider Ian Rappoport broke significant news surrounding the surgery on Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco. At the conclusion of today’s surgery to repair his fractured fibula, there was no ligament damage, which means his timeline to return is still in the 6-8 week range.
By placing Pacheco on injured reserve today, the Chiefs officially signed Kareem Hunt to their practice squad and elevated Arizona Cardinals running back Keaontay Ingrim to the 53-man roster. Pacheco’s news is the best possible news they could have gained from today’s successful surgery.
Although Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes talked about Kareem Hunt’s addition today and appeared excited that he’s getting another chance, much of the talk was about how long Pacheco might be out.
The Chiefs’ running back room will undoubtedly be different until Pacheco returns. Still, rookie Carson Steele, the likely starter Sunday Night against the Atlanta Falcons, will be supported by Samaje Perine this week. If the Chiefs feel Hunt can play Sunday, he’ll get the roster nod over Ingram.
Now, Ingram has NFL experience and had a terrific training camp in Kansas City. So, as the third running back, he can take a handful of snaps if called upon.
The bottom line is that if the rest of the unit can stay healthy, Reid will have a quartet of options at running back when Pacheco returns to the active roster.
