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With the Kansas City Chiefs remaining one of the NFL's best teams through 15 weeks of the regular season, the team said goodbye to their former first-round pick, releasing Clyde Edwards-Helaire, per Ian Rapoport on X.
“A goodbye from Clyde Edwards-Helaire,” Rapoport wrote on X, quoting Edwards-Helaire's original post.
Following four seasons with the Chiefs after being selected with the 32nd pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Chiefs officially released Edwards-Helaire, the running back announced on social media.
“Love ya KC,” Edwards-Helaire wrote. “A family I didn’t know I needed, y’all made a Kid from Baton Rouge dreams come true! To Chiefs Kingdom , its all love and the support I had in troubling times will forever be unmatched from you guys! With love! -Clydro.”
Though he wasn't thoroughly involved in winning them, Edwards-Helaire leaves the Chiefs a two-time Super Bowl champion as the 25-year-old running back looks for his next opportunity.
Chiefs release first-round RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire following Week 15
Throughout four seasons with the Chiefs, Edwards-Helaire made just 32 starts, totaling 2,610 all-purpose yards and 19 touchdowns.
And while his chapter with the Chiefs has closed, Edwards-Helaire could have some juice left in the tank to offer to a team in need of a running back.
Once the Chiefs struck gold on Rutgers running back Isiah Pacheco in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Edwards-Helaire's role appeared to diminish.
Since being drafted, Pacheco has started 28 games— four fewer than Edwards-Helaire had in four seasons— totaling 2,485 all-purpose yards and 15 touchdowns.
So, while Edwards-Helaire has the title of being a former first-round pick, Pacheco has out-produced him in a fraction of the time. That includes Pacheco missing nearly the entire 2024 season with a lower-body injury. Had Pacheco been healthy all of 2024, the numbers would have been even more skewed in his favor.
However, with the Chiefs claiming their ninth consecutive AFC West title, it appears that Kansas City preferred someone else holding Edwards-Helaire's roster position.
Now, everyone will have their eyes on the Chiefs' moves, as they could be freeing that spot for another late-season addition to help bolster their roster for another Super Bowl run.
