Getty Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire in February 2023.
The Kansas City Chiefs are currently low on cap space, but they still have a few ways to free up some money if they feel need to spend on a free agent at a position like wide receiver or defensive line.
One creative way to shed some cap could be to trade an asset — replacing that player with a cheaper draft pick that could end up having a similar impact on the field. The most obvious candidate for a move like this would be former first-round running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who has come up in trade rumors this offseason already.
NFL insider Ari Meirov came to this conclusion too during a recent article with The 33rd Team, calling “CEH” an “under-the-radar” trade candidate in 2023.
“Clyde Edwards-Helaire was a healthy scratch for the Super Bowl after the emergence of seventh-round rookie Isiah Pacheco,” Meirov reasoned. “The former first-round pick out of LSU has one year remaining on his contract, and he could be a low-risk, high-reward trade candidate.”
He admitted that it’s “worth noting” bigger RB names like Austin Ekeler, Dalvin Cook, Joe Mixon and Saquon Barkley could be available via trade as well, but added that “the chances of a team giving up significant draft capital plus paying a big contract to a running back seems unlikely.” Edwards-Helaire is much a cheaper option on a short-term deal, plus he could still be viewed as a player who has untapped potential.
Chiefs Still Need to Re-Sign Jerick McKinnon in Free Agency
An Edwards-Helaire trade would free up exactly $2.086 million according to Over the Cap, while releasing CEH only clears a little over $865,000. In other words, if general manager Brett Veach is unable to deal the disappointing prospect, he might as well keep him heading into the regular season.
Perhaps, you ship him off later after some injuries around the league, or maybe you just ride out year four of the LSU product’s rookie contract.
If they do trade him, however, that $2 million-plus could go toward re-signing veteran Jerick McKinnon — who outperformed CEH in a similar pass-catching role last season. It could also contribute toward a larger move.
The possibilities are endless, of course, but there is one thing to note. If Edwards-Helaire leaves, you need to fill the RB room behind Pacheco. With McKinnon and Melvin Gordon unsigned, KC currently only has WR/RB Jerrion Ealy and La’Mical Perine under contract aside from Pacheco and CEH.
The good news is, this is a deep draft class at the position, so Veach could bring in a few rookie ball-carriers to compete in training camp similar to last summer (late-round selections or UDFAs should suffice). The Chiefs have plenty of draft picks to work with in 2023, so it makes sense to trade in CEH for some fresh legs if he’s projected to be an RB3 or RB4 anyway.
To do that comfortably though, Veach must first re-sign McKinnon.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire Skipped Super Bowl Parade
Inefficiency and injuries are one thing, but the more telling moment that signaled CEH could be on the outs was skipping the 2023 Super Bowl parade in Kansas City. Instead, he chose to walk the runway at New York Fashion Week in NYC.
For those wondering why #Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire wasn’t at the Super Bowl parade:
He walked at New York Fashion Week Wednesday evening for Daniel’s Leather. (🎥 via DL’s Instagram) #ChiefsKingdom
This all occurred after Edwards-Helaire was listed as a healthy scratch in Arizona — having worked hard to return from the injured reserve. Having said that, the absence didn’t exactly scream team-first. With KC low on cap space and CEH having already fallen out of favor with the fanbase, the coaching staff and potentially, the locker room, parting ways makes perfect sense for all parties involved.
Edwards-Helaire has started 29 games over three seasons, appearing in 33 according to Pro Football Reference. Over that span, CEH never totaled more than 803 rushing yards — his rookie output — during a single campaign.