When it was revealed that Kansas City Chiefs veteran running back Isiah Pacheco suffered an MCL sprain in Week 8 and would be ultimately ruled out in Week 9, fans thought that this would be an ideal opportunity to see veteran Elijah Mitchell finally.
Mitchell was signed to a one-year deal in the offseason to be part of the Chiefs’ backfield, but surprisingly has been a healthy scratch for the entire season thus far. The last time Chiefs fans saw Mitchell on the field was in the preseason.
However, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid had other ideas for the Chiefs’ final game before their Week 10 bye, as they called up Clyde Edwards-Helaire from the practice squad.
The decision was puzzling as Edwards-Helaire didn’t do much in his brief time with the New Orleans Saints last season. And to no one’s surprise, he only had five yards on two carries on two offensive snaps. For all of that, the Chiefs could’ve rolled with Mitchell as their RB3.
On Monday, Reid was asked why he chose Edwards-Helaire over Mitchell, and his answer will not please Chiefs fans to start the week. According to Charles Goldman of AtoZ Sports, Reid said Edwards-Helaire’s elevation was about familiarity and the team knowing that he can “execute the schemes and protection calls.”
As for Mitchell, Reid said he’s “a very sharp kid” and added that, “we really like Elijah or he wouldn’t be here.”
Chiefs Must Figure Out Their Plan with Elijah Mitchell
All of this just puts Mitchell in a difficult position. He's seeing the team call up a practice-squad player above him, and their reasoning is due to having more trust there in CEH. Yet the team will never build any trust with Mitchell and get a grasp on if he can succeed in their scheme or learn their calls if he's not put on the field to do so.
All the while, they're saying they value Mitchell, but not actually proving it with their gameday decisions.
Now, that’s not to say that Mitchell would instantly become prime Priest Holmes. But if you like Mitchell, why not give him the chance to show what he can do in a game where there was a clear opportunity for him behind Kareem Hunt and Brashard Smith with Pacheco out?
If you’re Reid or GM Brett Veach, the plan wasn’t to sign Mitchell to a one-year deal just to hold a spot on the 53-man roster without playing in any games. If it were, then the Chiefs should’ve moved him at the deadline to free up an open roster spot to address the pass rush.
And the same logic applies to Clyde Edwards-Helaire and his spot on the practice squad. With the Chiefs having Mitchell, they could easily use CEH’s taxi squad spot to add another DT or pass rusher.
With Reid saying on Monday that Pacheco “may take more time,” it will be interesting to see if the Chiefs finally give Mitchell a chance against a tough Denver Broncos’ defense, or go back to Edwards-Helaire, who can be elevated two more times from the practice squad.