Popular Chiefs Youngster in Big Trouble as NFL Insider Reports on Trade ‘Calls’

According to the latest reporting ahead of the 2025 preseason finale and roster cuts, the Kansas City Chiefs are making trade calls at running back, and that’s bad news for fan favorite bubble candidate Carson Steele, among others.

“Sources: Teams making calls in search of running back additions include the [New Orleans] Saints, [Cleveland] Browns and Chiefs,” The Athletic’s lead NFL insider Dianna Russini reported on August 21.

Needless to say, any RB acquisition this late in the summer would likely seal the fate of cut candidates like Steele, veteran Elijah Mitchell, and newcomer Michael Wiley.

On August 18, well before this trade news was reported by Russini, KSHB 41 beat reporter Nick Jacobs predicted that the Chiefs would only keep three running backs at the 53-man roster cutdown. Those players were Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt and Brashard Smith.

“Smith has value as a running back, returner and wide receiver,” Jacobs explained ahead of the preseason finale. “He provides great value and has the best speed among the position group.”

Continuing: “Mitchell has struggled to find the burst he previously had before his hamstring injury last season. [And] Steele gets caught in a numbers game and could end up on the practice squad because of his special teams impact.”

If a KC insider was predicting that Steele, Mitchell and Wiley would all be cut before Russini’s report, all three are certainly in even bigger trouble after the news.

Have We Already Seen the Ceiling of Chiefs RB/FB Carson Steele?

It happens a lot around the NFL: an undrafted rookie will take the league by storm during his initial training camp and preseason period, then eventually regress back to his pre-draft scouting report.

Unfortunately, that’s been the case for Steele as he approaches his second career 53-man roster cutdown.

Plain and simple, Steele has not been great this summer. One year after standing out consistently in August with 7.91 yards per carry, the youngster is only averaging 3.7 yards per carry in 2025, according to Football Database.

Steele hasn’t done anything as a receiver of late, either, and although he still wears different hats on special teams, the second-year pro has been less involved in the returner conversation than in 2024.

At the end of the day, it feels like Steele hype is fading ahead of the preseason finale, and reports of trade calls would confirm that.

Chiefs Reporter Agrees Elijah Mitchell Stock Is ‘Down’

If the Chiefs pursue an outside addition at running back, the other big-name cut would likely be Mitchell.

Originally making a name for himself as a breakout rookie in San Francisco, Mitchell attempted to make a comeback in Kansas City this spring and summer after recovering from long-term injuries. It just hasn’t happened.

On August 20, The Athletic’s new KC beat reporter Jesse Newell agreed that Mitchell’s stock is “down” heading into the preseason finale.

“The Chiefs signed Mitchell on the opening day of free agency with the hope that, after recovering from injuries, he’d show the speed that made him a weapon for the San Francisco 49ers,” Newell reminded. Adding: “The team is still waiting to see it.”

“Mitchell, 27, has slid to the end of practice reps at running back, failing to show even flashes of the explosiveness this offense could use in its backfield,” the beat writer relayed. Continuing: “The good news for Mitchell is, on Friday, Kansas City will be playing plenty of backups in its final home preseason game against the Chicago Bears, meaning he should get plenty of snaps to show the coaching staff (or another team’s) that he should be on an NFL roster in 2025.”

“As of now, he hasn’t made that case,” Newell concluded. “Because of that, the Chiefs are still exploring their options at the end of the running back depth chart, which could involve looking to waivers (or a cheap trade) to solidify that spot in the next two weeks.”