Chiefs' No. 3 running back battle loses another challenger with latest roster move

The Kansas City Chiefs continue to trim their running back room. 

Back in mid-May, the Chiefs released RB La'Mical Perine. Now, they've released RB Hassan Hall to make room for WR Mecole Hardman on the 90-man offseason roster.

Hall was signed to a reserve/future deal back in January of 2024. An undrafted free agent signing out of Louisville, Hall spent time with the Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, and New York Giants in 2023. He was a longshot to make the 53-man roster in Kansas City, but he was one of the several players competing for the No. 3 RB job.

Hall's departure leaves the Chiefs with just seven total running backs, including the following players behind Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire:

• Deneric Prince
• Keaontay Ingram 
  
• Carson Steele
  
• Louis Rees-Zammit
• Emani Bailey

Who to watch closely during the Chiefs' mandatory minicamp next week?

While Brett Veach made sure to hype up RB Keaontay Ingram after the 2024 NFL draft, there are a few other running backs that you should keep an eye on next week. First is second-year RB Deneric Prince, who had earned some repetitions with the first team during OTAs. Prince was a standout at OTAs as a rookie, but he really fell off once the pads came on training camp. Can he recapture some luster in his second year as a pro? 

Another player to keep a close eye on is Carson Steele. He's the subject of some newfound hype after making a one-handed catch on a no-look, behind-the-back pass from Patrick Mahomes. Say that five times fast. He's a dark horse to watch in this competition after a highly productive college career at Ball State and UCLA. 

Finally, Louis Rees-Zammit. You've heard about his ability as a returner and kickoff specialist on special teams, but he's making some strides in learning the running back position as well. He has a long way to go, but he seems to be getting better and more confident with every repetition. 

Could free agent RB Jerick McKinnon return ahead of Chiefs training camp?

With WR Mecole Hardman rejoining the team on Thursday, it's hard not to wonder if Kansas City couldn't be eyeing another reunion in the coming months. Veteran RB Jerick McKinnon remains a free agent after spending the last three seasons of his NFL career with the Chiefs. 

He spent several weeks on injured reserve last season before returning in Super Bowl LVIII. Even at 32 years old, McKinnon still has value as a third-down back and pass protector. I have a feeling the Chiefs would probably prefer to see one of the aforementioned players earn the role, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to have a guy like McKinnon as a mentor in the locker room and a fallback option if none of the five players develop as they hope.