Getty Will Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach finally trade running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire?
Rumors of a Clyde Edwards-Helaire trade lessened a bit after the former first-round running back made the Week 1 roster this summer.
CEH’s limited usage in 2023 has sparked them back up again, however, as ESPN KC insider Adam Teicher highlighted the forgotten playmaker as the Chiefs No. 1 potential trade candidate at the deadline.
“With Isiah Pacheco established as the Chiefs’ primary back and Jerick McKinnon still a reliable third-down back, there really isn’t much of a role for Edwards-Helaire, a first-round pick in 2020,” Teicher wrote on October 24.
“If an offer comes along, the Chiefs would be silly not to get something in return for him in the final year of his contract,” he went on. “In May, Kansas City declined his fifth-year option, and he has 32 carries for 105 yards and a touchdown this season.”
It’s Time for Chiefs to Part Ways With Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Brett Veach hasn’t made too many critical mistakes since taking over as the Chiefs general manager. Edwards-Helaire was a glaring one.
It’s certainly been masked by the impressive roster building around Patrick Mahomes, but CEH was a huge miss in 2020. Running backs don’t generally get drafted high and when they do, they must display the elite traits of a gamechanger.
Breece Hall and Bijan Robinson come to mind in recent years.
CEH has never shown that — even at his best — and his production has been on a steady decline since entering the league. Now, in a make-or-break campaign, the LSU product has mustered a career-low 3.3 yards per carry.
At this point, it just feels like it’s time for an Edwards-Helaire trade, even if Kansas City doesn’t get much back in return.
The Chiefs have younger options in La’Mical Perine and Deneric Prince that can take over his RB3 role. Both currently reside on the practice squad and might even provide more juice in a limited snap share opportunity.
After all, Edwards-Helaire has only taken the field for 79 out of a potential 485 offensive snaps this season according to Pro Football Focus. That’s roughly 16.29 percent.
CEH has not logged a single special teams snap in 2023 either, which is uncommon for a third stringer.
Chiefs GM Brett Veach Redeemed Himself With Isiah Pacheco Draft Pick
As bad as Veach and the Chiefs missed on Edwards-Helaire, they really nailed the Pacheco selection as redemption.
Going into the 2023 campaign, some questioned whether the rookie breakout would be a one-hit wonder for KC. He’s been anything but in year two.
Pacheco has already surpassed the halfway point of his rookie rushing total of 830 yards. He’s doing it at a slightly worse 4.2-yard-per-carry clip, but he’s also developed into a legitimate asset in the passing game.
The Rutgers product has caught the ball at a 91.3 percent catch rate in 2023. That gives him a 91.9 percent catch rate on his career.
The difference? In 2022, he was only targeted 14 times during the regular season.
This year, Pacheco has already caught 21 of 23 targets for 163 receiving yards — which is exactly 33 yards more than his entire rookie output in this area. He’s also cut out the fumbles so far, with four total touchdowns and zero turnovers.
There’s no doubt about it, Pacheco wasn’t just some overachiever last season — he was a total slam dunk in round seven.
Hitting on the running back position in 2022 allows Veach to wipe his hands of the Edwards-Helaire selection once and for all, trading him off to the highest bidder at the deadline.