Chiefs OC Matt Nagy on Kareem Hunt, Carson Steele, How KC Can Replace Isiah Pacheco

Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy discussed how the team can replace running back Isiah Pacheco with work from Carson Steele and his latest perspective on Kareem Hunt.

Nov 11, 2018; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (27) leaves the field after the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs won 26-14. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

With running back Isiah Pacheco placed on injured reserve and set to miss the next 6–8 weeks of the season, how will the Kansas City Chiefs will be looking to replace Pacheco's workload? On Thursday, offensive coordinator Matt Nagy talked about the expectations for rookie undrafted free agent running back Carson Steele and what he's seen so far from the newly re-signed Kareem Hunt.

Asked about how Pacheco's injury changes the operation for the Kansas City offense, Nagy acknowledged that the Chiefs will have to adjust without their No. 1 back.

"Yeah, it's certainly a little bit different, but that's expected," Nagy said. "Pops [Pacheco] is doing a good job recovering, and that's part of this game is injuries, but we know how much he wanted to be out there. But for us football-wise, the Xs and Os part, I think the guys that we have in here now have really been able to get a chance to be in this offense, get some valuable reps, whether it be at training camp or preseason, and now it's the next man up mentality, and so, you guys know who the guys are that are here. For us, the biggest thing is just making sure that we put them in optimum situations and probably don't try to do too much one way or the other with any of them. And understand, too, that it's a little new to these guys, and that's OK. We just help them through the process, but also, there's a lot of excitement about them too."

Next, Nagy was asked if there's any trepidation regarding Steele as an undrafted free agent rookie entering just his third NFL game.

"I would say there's a lot of confidence with him, with Carson," Nagy said. "The best way to put it is, he's probably as ready as he could possibly be for being a young rookie player in this position for this team. We're excited about that, he's had a phenomenal attitude, and we have a lot of trust in him."

Even with Hunt barely back in the building after signing to KC's practice squad on Wednesday, Nagy was complimentary of Hunt's physical state and discussed what he'll have to do to break into the Chiefs' running back rotation.

"I think he looks good," Nagy said. "For him, there's a lot that goes to it, but for his situation, just kind of re-learning the offense and getting back into the sync of the physical parts with the reps, there's going to be a little bit of time that goes with it, but for the most part, he's been impressive, and I think for us that's a good thing. Because to me, I had him in 2017 when he was just here and I really, the person, the player, all that, you see it there, but you also understand the process and what he's getting into. So yesterday was day one, we'll see where day two takes us today."

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