Jerick McKinnon To Re-Sign With Kansas City Chiefs

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According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, running back Jerick McKinnon is expected to re-sign with the Kansas City Chiefs. This will be the third straight season where McKinnon will be a part of the Chiefs, now that it has become official, per Field Yates of ESPN. His 2021 impact was really not felt until the playoffs. But last season, McKinnon became a scoring machine for the Kansas City offense.

The Chiefs have officially re-signed RB Jerick McKinnon today, per source.

McKinnon played an integral role for the Super Bowl champs last year, leading the team with 9 TD catches and was named a team captain during the playoffs.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) May 2, 2023

In the playoffs two years ago, he accumulated 150 rushing yards and 165 receiving yards across three contests. In the 2022 regular season, McKinnon registered 803 scrimmage yards and 10 total touchdowns, nine of which were receiving touchdowns.

With his toughness and reliability, it appears that the Chiefs will largely be the same as last season at the running back position. Is that a benefit to Kansas City’s offense? As long as Jerick McKinnon can continue to produce similar to what he has, the Chiefs are in good hands at running back.

Reliability With The Little Details

Where Jerick McKinnon really makes his money is in the minor details that do not get talked about for the position. Overall, he is a stout pass protector in the backfield. He appears to catch oncoming blitzers off guard with his sudden and immediate jolts, due to the instant pop in his hands. Elsewhere, McKinnon is able to wall off opponents by keeping his frame low and compact to the field.

As a pass catcher, McKinnon is sneaky good at giving himself extra separation at the top of the routes. He does well to adjust his angles, based on what he sees from defensive players. To boot, Jerick McKinnon is incredibly shifty and efficient when getting in and out of breaks.

Continuing To Mentor Isiah Pacheco

There is no denying the ability of Isiah Pacheco. With his mix of energy, tenacity, confidence and athleticism as a runner, he will continue to be a top focal point in the rushing attack. So, where does that place Jerick McKinnon in his return? Mainly, McKinnon is still likely to receive at least a handful of rushing attempts per game. He is also going to be the top option on third downs, more likely than not.

As far as his possible mentorship of Pacheco goes, McKinnon could continue to educate the youngster with route running. The same could be said about helping Pacheco see the field even better after the catch. Perhaps, his pass blocking technique can translate over to the same technique of Pacheco.

Could KC Make Another Signing At Running Back?

The Chiefs will likely use the duo of Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon the most at running back. As of now, Clyde Edwards-Helaire is still a member of the team. Would it be all that surprising to see him get traded or not make the team in 2023? Not necessarily. Therefore, more depth or insurance could be added to the running back spot, despite the re-signing of McKinnon.

Former Jets running back La’Mical Perine was signed to a reserve/futures deal with Kansas City in February. Of course, the Chiefs also just left the 2023 NFL Draft without selecting a running back. Possibly, they could still look to sign one other free agent running back late in the offseason. Notable names still available, according to Spotrac, are Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette and Mark Ingram. Younger names that are available include Kenyan Drake, Marlon Mack and Justin Jackson.

Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs articles and analysis throughout this week. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.

– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.