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Brashard Smith and Emmett Johnson Shine in Chiefs' Close Preseason Loss to Buccaneers
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- Brashard Smith and Emmett Johnson Shine in Chiefs' Close Preseason Loss to Buccaneers
Kansas City Chiefs second-year running back Brashard Smith and rookie Emmett Johnson stood out in the 16-15 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the second preseason game Saturday. Smith was a seventh-round pick in 2025 by the Chiefs and climbed the depth chart as the season transpired.
Smith rushed six times for a team-high 37 yards (6.2 yards per carry) and caught two passes for two yards Saturday. He now has 14 carries for 58 yards on the ground in the preseason. Head coach Andy Reid highlighted Smith and his 6.2 yards per carry in his post-game press conference Saturday.
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Johnson, the fifth-round pick out of Nebraska, has seen extended work the last two weeks. He had 12 rushes for 59 yards and three grabs for 10 yards in the first preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams . He followed it up Saturday with seven rushes for 25 yards and his first score.
"We got a ton of great reps for the young guys," Reid said. " Johnson got his first TD, which was great."
Fellow backup running back Emari Demercado had five rushes for 18 yards and caught his only target for eight yards. The former Arizona Cardinal has seen a lot of work on third down, which was a role he excelled at with Arizona last season. Demercado, Smith and Johnson are all vying for looks out of the backfield. It's probable that all three of these backs make the team behind starter Kenneth Walker III . The preseason finale to determine the order of operations is Friday against the Seattle Seahawks .
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
