Why LeSean McCoy makes sense for the Kansas City Chiefs

In case you missed it, the Kansas City Chiefs signed LeSean McCoy late Saturday night. This is a great move for the Chiefs.

Every year, there are surprise roster cuts across the NFL. 2019 was no exception. Veteran running back LeSean McCoy was released by the Buffalo Bills. It was partly for cap reasons, as McCoy was set to make a little over $6 million this year, and partly because McCoy’s play declined dramatically last year.

His unemployment didn’t last an entire day however, as the Kansas City Chiefs agreed to a deal that reunites him with his former coach Andy Reid. So, why would McCoy make sense for the Chiefs? Well, it is all about context.

McCoy’s yards and touchdowns were nearly cut in half from 2017 to 2018. In 2017, he racked up 1,138 yards rushing and six touchdowns. In 2018, he posted a measly 514 yards with just three rushing touchdowns. His yards per carry also fell from 4.0 to 3.2.

McCoy is now 31 years old, and it seems that age finally caught up to one of the games most electric runners. KC Chiefs fans have to be wondering why we would spend almost $4 million dollars on a washed up running back.

So what exactly does McCoy bring to the Chiefs? The answer isn’t a simple one, but once you dig a little deeper, you can let yourself get a little more excited about this signing.

Is the man affectionately known as Shady the same runner he was just a few years ago? Probably not. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have value though.

Here, I’ll try to dissect just what McCoy can and should bring to this roster, and why it made sense for the Chiefs to sign him.