Getty Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid at mandatory minicamp in 2023.
Kansas City Chiefs 2020 first-round selection Clyde Edwards-Helaire has been caught in a downward tailspin over the past couple of years, and he may not have much time to change that in 2023.
NFL writer Kristopher Knox posted an article with Bleacher Report naming veteran players who “could find themselves on the roster bubble in training camp” and CEH headlined the list.
“Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire has shown some flashes since being a first-round pick in the 2020 draft,” Knox voiced. “However, he’s also struggled with health and consistency, had his fifth-year option declined and was supplanted by 2022 seventh-round pick Isiah Pacheco for the starting job last season.”
“The 24-year-old must show that he’s back to 100 percent after battling a high-ankle sprain and missing seven games last year,” he continued later, adding that “he’ll also have to show that he’s clearly a better No. 3 option than La’Mical Perine or undrafted free agent Deneric Prince.”
“If he can’t do that, he could be out,” Knox noted bluntly. After all, the Chiefs are desperate for cap space right now and releasing Edwards-Helaire would save a useful $865,726 in 2023.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire Cut Could Free Up Chiefs Roster Spot for Future Asset
There is one more reason to cut or trade CEH in August, instead of letting him ride out his rookie contract. “It would free up a roster spot for a player more likely to be a part of the Chiefs’ future,” Knox stated, and he’s right.
There’s little-to-no chance Edwards-Helaire re-signs in Kansas City next year with players like Pacheco and Prince clogging up opportunities. It’s much more likely that it’s time for a fresh start for all parties involved.
CEH won’t land a starting gig anywhere in 2024, but he might get a chance to compete for a RB1 or RB2 role. With the Chiefs, he’s the RB3 — at best.
From the LSU ball carrier’s perspective, there’s no reason to stick around aside from a Super Bowl ring, and he already has one now that 2022 is in the books. The Chiefs would be more likely to welcome him back at a veteran minimum, but they’ll also let Edwards-Helaire walk the moment another team decides to pay him anything with financial guarantees.
With all that being said, why not keep an asset that can grow inside your organization for years to come? That’s Knox’s major point here.
If it means rostering Prince, or an extra wide receiver, tight end or offensive lineman that could be claimed by another team, why not save some money and release a guy that’s probably not going to be in KC in four-to-five months?
The only real downside is injury. If Pacheco’s not 100% heading into Week 1 — or if someone gets injured during training camp — you might still need CEH to help weather the storm.
Chiefs RB Deneric Prince Spends Summer Training With Keondre Coburn, Former KC Vet & ‘Coach T’
Prince recently joined Chiefs draft pick Keondre Coburn and former KC running back Derrick Blaylock for a summer workout down in Humble, Texas, according to Charles Goldman of USA Today Chiefs Wire.
After that, the undrafted rookie made his way to Houston to train with a private RBs coach, per Goldman.
“Harold ‘Coach T’ Taylor at Taylormade 360 Elite Training, shared some clips of Prince working with him on social media this Friday,” the KC insider relayed. “Prince appears to be going through some footwork, agility and avoidance drills. Taylor even had him working on his spin move a bit.”
Prince looked quick, explosive and shredded throughout the videos shared by Coach T — and the extra work can’t hurt his chances of solidifying a role in 2023. The best way to make the 53-man roster as a UDFA is to go the extra mile, and it appears the Tulsa runner is willing to do just that.
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Chiefs’ 24-Year-Old Former Starter Headlines NFL Veteran Cut List