Chiefs’ Biggest Green Flag in Week 18 Loss

Though the Chiefs may have lost, I thought Andy Reid used this game as a perfect opportunity to see what he had in his roster before heading into the offseason. Hollywood Brown is an incoming free agent, and his seeing the most targets out of any receiver gives him one final chance at convincing the team to let him stay.

Similarly enough, I thought his choice to play their younger players in the final week of the season was one that needed to happen. Brashard Smith had a career game in Week 17, so for them to give him the most carries out of any running back is a sign of good faith that they believe in him moving forward.

Smith ended the game with 56 rushing yards on 12 carries, with his longest rush going for 14 yards. He wasn't used much in the passing game, and he didn't have the same impact on special teams as he had the week before.

Even if his performance didn't leave a lasting impression in a meaningless loss in the final week of the season, the Chiefs needed to diagnose what they had in their seventh-round pick. They have a top ten pick in the upcoming NFL draft, and a lot of mock drafts have linked them with another running back, Jeremiyah Love.

It's up to them to decide if Smith's reps as their primary running back are enough to convince them to head in another direction in the draft, but even in a backup capacity, I think Smith has a bright future with the team.

In his final game as a rookie, Reid made sure to feed Smith the rock. Smith's role in their offense will only grow, and I think he's shown enough to be a reliable part of their offense next season.

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