The Kansas City Chiefs underwent significant roster changes during the offseason, as veteran stalwarts like Justin Reid, Joe Thuney, and even Mecole Hardman are now on new teams. On paper, the Chiefs look like a better team overall than the one that fell short to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl, yet it was still sad seeing some guys go.
Among those departures is 26-year-old running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who was the inaugural first-round draft pick made by general manager Brett Veach.
Edwards-Helaire signed with the New Orleans Saints after being released late last season and appeared in a pair of games. Yet, it looks like he could be cut sooner rather than later.
#Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire catches the pass, shakes a tackler, and picks up 13 yards. #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/Ecn0cfXXPn
— Devon Clements (@DevclemNFL) September 16, 2022
Former Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire Could Get Cut by July
Edwards-Helaire is on a one-year, $1.17 million contract in New Orleans. He managed just 46 yards on 13 carries last year, and now faces stiff competition on the depth chart. Alvin Kamara is the clear starter, though the franchise also has a pair of recent draft picks in Kendre Miller and Devin Neal, while Cam Akers is there as well.
He averaged 3.2 yards per carry in 2023 and 3.5 last season, and it looks like his best days are behind him. Fans should obviously have sympathy for Edwards-Helaire, who sat out most of the year battling PTSD symptoms, and he could still squeeze onto the end of the roster with a strong summer.
It sure feels unlikely, though, especially given that the Saints are incentivized to get younger with one of the most mediocre rosters in all of the NFL. With Derek Carr's retirement, New Orleans is going nowhere fast and needs a full reset. That means investing in guys like Miller and Neal, who could prove to be diamonds in the rough, whereas Edwards-Helaire seems like a finished product.
It's unfortunate that guys like Reid, Edwards-Helaire, and Tyrann Mathieu are stuck with the Saints, but that's the nature of the business.
Here's wishing Edwards-Helaire the best, though it appears more likely than not that he'll be cut soon and once again be looking for a home.