Emmett Johnson’s Chiefs teammates robbed him of an even bigger opening statement

Despite being a surprisingly late selection in the 2026 NFL Draft, former Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson has plenty of believers inside the Kansas City Chiefs organization. Thanks to a trade that brought Kenneth Walker III over from Seattle, the ex-Husker won’t sniff RB1 barring injuries. However, he could get plenty of action this season in the regular season. His showing on Saturday’s first preseason game certainly hints at what kind of weapon he could be.

With Walker sitting out this game, the ex-Husker was essentially given the starter designation, and he certainly made the most of it. He also showed every bit the talent that made him one of the best running backs in the college game last year, both on the ground and through the air.

The former Nebraska star finished the game with 12 carries for 59 yards, with a long of 13. He also caught three passes for 10 yards, but it’s not just the numbers he put up. Early in the 20-12 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the Chiefs’ offensive line had some real problems getting its act together. Several penalties wiped out some big games from Johnson, including a 4-yard touchdown run.

In addition to that touchdown, Johnson would have had another catch for double-digit yards and about 12 more yards rushing. In the grand scheme of the game being a preseason game, the yards aren’t all-important.

Nebraska football alum Emmett Johnson strengthens case for Chiefs RB2 role

The Chiefs coaches will be able to review the game film and see the plays Johnson made that his teammates wiped out. Still, it would have been nice to see him keep that touchdown, especially since his final tally would have been very, very close to 90 yards.

Those kinds of numbers are often the difference between someone like the ex-Nebraska star getting a ton of carries and being relegated to RB3 and a carry here or there in garbage time. It’s even more important that his overall performance is taken into account, since it seems his evaluations in camp are a bit up and down. One day, the Chiefs players are raving about him. The next day, there are reports that he’s having trouble adjusting to the pro game.

Of course, the reality is that there aren’t really any doubts that Johnson can tote the rock. It’s other parts of the game, especially pass protection, that have been an issue. That was especially evident earlier this week. During a Wednesday practice session, EJ was noticeably frustrated after he got beat on pass pro three straight plays.

“Every day I’m working on it,” Johnson said of pass pro and blitz pickup. “It’s just as important as running the football, catching the football. And as you can see today, I’m just getting better and better at it every single day. And that’s something that I take big pride in because I’ve got to protect 15 and protect everybody else as well. Pass pro is something that I feel like you just gotta want to do it, and I feel like I want to do it.”

The former Nebraska star’s shortcomings in this area underscore why it’s unfortunate his teammates took some yards and some points off the board. However, Emmett Johnson will get a real chance at not just making the roster but climbing the depth chart. Saturday was a very good start in that regard.

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