Former first-rounder running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire could revive his career with the Ravens, Chargers this season. According to multiple reports, the Kansas City Chiefs are officially moving on from the two-time Super Bowl Champion who never saw much of the field this 2024 campaign. Originally selected in the 2020 NFL Draft, the running back was shaping himself as the primary backfield leader after Damien Williams opted out of the season. However, the emergence of uprising star Isiah Pacheco made Edwards-Helaire lose the majority of his starting snaps and injuries have been catching up to him.
The Chiefs did have Pacheco and former running back Jerick McKinnon ahead of him in the depth chart last season, so it was only a matter of time before Kansas City let him go. It was a bigger issue for Edwards-Helaire, though. He never played a snap this season since dealing with mental health issues until they put him back on the starting roster a few weeks ago. Kareem Hunt came in to help boost the running back corps while Pacheco was out with an injury.
Meanwhile, they brought in rookie Carson Steele to get a few snaps, which put Edwards-Helaire at a disadvantage. It’s surprising in a way the Chiefs finally cut the running back despite favoring him over McKinnon who was a better stable backup backfield piece making flashy plays. However, the Chiefs needed room on the 53-man roster for the return of Marquise Brown. Edwards-Helaire could still make an NFL squad but he might have to start from scratch on the practice team with the Ravens, Chargers.
The #Chiefs have released former first-round RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire, he announced. pic.twitter.com/7cTnxxZ74j
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 16, 2024
Former First Rounder Clyde Edwards-Helaire Could Revive Career With Ravens, Chargers
Support for the Postseason
The Baltimore Ravens are shaping themselves for a strong postseason next month after their obliterating win over the New York Giants. Lamar Jackson is performing again at the MVP level but since signing Derrick Henry, it gives the offense more of a ferocious fire in them that could carry the entire team on their back. However, the defense still has immediate issues they need to address. While they deal with that, they never got a legitimate supporting cast behind Henry since signing him to a two-year deal.
Edwards-Helaire isn’t the same starter as he was in his rookie year. He won’t need to be full-time back in the league anymore but someone like him behind Henry could give some capable life. Baltimore already has enough superstars on their team so signing Edwards-Helaire would give more of a viable option over Keaton Mitchell. They may have Justice Hill but he’s like a dump-off halfback and Edwards-Helaire could help reduce the snaps for Henry to keep him healthy down the playoff stretch.
Running with Jim Harbaugh
The Los Angeles Chargers got exposed against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a poor performance from Gus Edwards and the defense. However, to no fault of their own, the Chargers will have to survive the upcoming postseason without a fully healthy J.K. Dobbins. While the passing offense is finally finding its rhythm with the improvement of darts being thrown from Justin Herbert, it might not be able to accommodate the atrocious running game they may suffer through. Nobody in this league loves to run the football more than Jim Harbaugh Edwards-Helaire could save his hopes to achieve that.
The former Chief wouldn’t need to be a superstar backfield piece but enough to move the chains to at least a few first downs to give Herbert’s arm a rest. Barring any circumstances, Dobbins will come back this for playoffs but no one knows if he will be the same breakout player he was constructing himself to be with the Chargers earlier this season. The Chargers might have to explore their options to save their ground game and bring in Edwards-Helaire to reduce the snaps over both Dobbins and Edwards.
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