Isiah Pacheco and Charles Omenihu could be nearing Chiefs return. What will they bring?

The Chiefs offense could use more big plays in the running game, and the defense is below its sacks pace of previous seasons.

You know, the type of things Isiah Pacheco and Charles Omenihu can deliver.

Those qualities are coming, although Andy Reid did not say if the players would be back and on the field when the Chiefs visit the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. The 21-day practice window for both players opened last week.

“We’ll see on both,” Reid said Wednesday. “It’s a day-to-day type of thing.”

But the return of the pair, seemingly running on the same timetable, should provide boosts in areas where the Chiefs have lacked.

Kareem Hunt has filled in admirably for Pacheco, who suffered a fractured fibula in his right leg in the Week 2 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Hunt’s 509 rushing yards and five touchdowns lead the team, and he’s been a big part of an offense that tops the NFL in third-down conversion success as 51.9%.

What the attack has lacked is explosive plays. The longest of Hunt’s 139 rushing attempts this season was the 17-yard gain against the Buffalo Bills in last Sunday’s loss. His average yards per carry is 3.7.

Pacheco isn’t a breakaway type back, but he owns a 4.6-yards-per-carry average over his three seasons with a career long run of 48 yards.

Hunt’s hard-running ability in tandem with the more elusive Pacheco could open possibilities.

“Both want the football, which is a great thing, and they’re really good when they have the football,” offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said last week. “It’s a great one-two punch.”

Reid said the Chiefs would “find a way,” to use both backs.

“We’ll find a way to get both of them in if and when that takes place,” Reid said. ”That’s a good problem to have.”

Patrick Mahomes said there won’t be any easing Pacheco back to action.

“It’s going to be us trying to hold him back,” Mahomes said. “He’s a guy that wants to be out there as much as possible and he wants to play. At the same time, he wants to win, and he knows the long-term goal that we have. Our goal is to get him back as quickly as possible, but at the best time for him and his body so that we can have him for the long haul.”

Omenihu has endured a longer recovery, suffering a torn ACL in last season’s AFC Championship Game against Baltimore. The injury occurred on his next snap after a sack and forced fumble on Lamar Jackson.

Despite missing the first six games with a suspension last season, Omenihu finished the regular season with seven sacks.

The Chiefs finished second in the NFL with 57 sacks in 2023, and second in 2022 with 55. This season, although the Chiefs are among the league’s best at quarterback pressures, they have 19 sacks. Only three teams have fewer.

Both players handled scout-team duty last week.