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As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare for 2026, former Chiefs offensive guard Geoff Schwartz has pointed out three reasons why head coach Andy Reid’s offense has been ineffective in recent years.
Kansas City has struggled to create big runs for three seasons, and the team brought in RB Kenneth Walker to add speed and give Reid another weapon in space. Per Schwartz, this addition addresses at least one of the issues that plague the team’s offense.
“So I have three reasons the Chiefs’ screen game has gone away. I’m not sure it’s ever coming back the same, but Walker gives the Chiefs the best chance in forever,” Schwartz tweeted via X on Wednesday.
Two of the reasons came from changes around the offense. The Chiefs did not have a running back who could turn a short catch into a big play.
Defenses often kept two safeties deep, which took away many big plays and made Kansas City rely more on short passes. The Chiefs finished 20th in total yards and 21st in points, while their running game ranked 25th with 1,812 yards last season.
Meanwhile, the third point goes straight to timing.
“Andy Reid is a meticulous teacher of the screen. I’m curious if less practice time has cut into being able to properly teach screens,” Schwartz wrote via X.
Reid needs the linemen, quarterback, and ball carrier to move together, and Kansas City has practiced those plays close to game speed in the past.
According to Schwartz, the lack of capable offensive players and training time may have worked against Reid and the offense’s preparation last season.
But Walker could make that work worth it again. He had 10 runs of 20-plus yards last season, giving the Chiefs the type of burst their backfield has missed.
Fixing that part of the offense could give quarterback Patrick Mahomes easier yards and the Chiefs a greater chance at success. But Reid has another job waiting at camp, which is to find the right receivers to put around him.
Receiver competition could push Reid to rework the Chiefs’ depth chart
Kansas City enters training camp with plenty of receivers fighting for work, and Andy Reid must sort through them while Mahomes works back from a serious knee injury.
Chiefs Wire’s John Dillon broke down the group on July 22 before camp in St. Joseph, Missouri.
“The Kansas City Chiefs can’t afford to have their receiving corps underperform in 2026 as star quarterback Patrick Mahomes makes his return from a serious knee injury he sustained last season,” Dillon wrote.
Rashee Rice looks like the Chiefs’ top receiver, but the spots behind him are not as clear. Xavier Worthy will try to take another step in Year 3, Tyquan Thornton adds speed, and the younger receivers need to prove they can earn playing time.
Money adds another part to Reid’s decision. Worthy carries a $3.76 million cap number, Thornton sits at $3.5 million, and Rice enters the final year of his rookie deal with a $2.07 million cap number.
The players lower on the depth chart have even less room for mistakes. Jalen Royals caught two passes for four yards in seven games last season, while rookies and undrafted players will use camp and preseason games to fight for a roster spot.
Reid now has to weigh speed, trust, cost, and fit. One young receiver having a strong summer could move up and give Mahomes another reliable target.
Which receiver will give Reid the toughest depth-chart decision before Week 1? What do you think? Let us know in the comments!
