The Kansas City Chiefs’ 2025 season was officially over last week, but it still didn’t stop the team from making various roster changes going into the offseason and 2026.
At this point in the NFL calendar, teams that are eliminated from the playoffs are allowed to sign free agents or practice-squad players to futures/reserve deals, giving them a chance to compete for a roster spot in the offseason.
The Chiefs have signed several players to futures deals, including running back ShunDerrick Powell, whom they brought in for a tryout. However, on Monday, we found out that Kansas City will not be bringing back running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire on a futures deal.
According to Charles Goldman of AtoZ Sports, Edwards-Helaire was among the seven players whose practice squad contracts expired.
For Edwards-Helaire, this is not a good look for his playing future, as he tries to secure a futures deal elsewhere or a one-year deal when free agency kicks off in March.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire Gets Shown the Door by Chiefs on Monday
The former first-round pick returned to Kansas City for his second stint after the New Orleans Saints waived him at the end of the preseason. Edwards-Helaire appeared in two games with the Saints in 2024.
With his second stint in KC, the Chiefs signed the 26-year-old running back to their practice squad. Edwards-Helaire spent most of the first half of the season on the taxi squad until the Chiefs elevated him at the beginning of November following Isiah Pacheco’s injury.
Edwards-Helaire made his 2025 debut in Week 9 against the Buffalo Bills, where he played two offensive snaps and had two carries for five yards. Then he got a second chance in Week 12 vs. the Indianapolis Colts, but didn’t do much, racking up 17 total yards on seven touches (17 offensive snaps).
After his lackluster Week 12 showing, the Chiefs sent Edwards-Helaire back to the taxi squad for the remainder of the season.
With the Chiefs deciding not to retain the veteran running back, one does wonder what’s next for him. Ever since Edwards-Helaire’s rookie year in 2020, when he had 1,100 total yards and five total touchdowns, his production has gone down every season.
It’s crazy to see, given how much hype Edwards-Helaire had coming out of LSU and being the only RB selected in the first round in the 2020 draft. Now, the former Chief will try to latch on with another team to see if he can fight for a job on the 53-man roster or practice squad.