Chiefs fans unimpressed on Clyde Edwards-Helaire re-signing with team: “Horrible move by Veach,” “That’s not JK Dobbins”

The Kansas City Chiefs declared on Tuesday that they have signed running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who was a first-round draft pick in 2020, to a one-year contract. Despite not meeting the expectations of a first-round running back and facing struggles during his initial time with the team, Edwards-Helaire has returned to the franchise.

Despite much inactivity in terms of roster changes and numerous expensive contracts awarded to high-profile players who became free agents, retaining Edwards-Helaire on a budget-friendly deal was a smart decision by Brett Veach. This is especially crucial as the team’s financial flexibility is limited due to the recent extension given to Chris Jones.

Despite the Chiefs’ decision to give Edwards-Helaire a new deal and keep him on the team, Chiefs fans remained unimpressed. This was especially true as he had lost the starting position to Isiah Pacheco and with the added news of J. K. Dobbins meeting with the franchise before the 2024 NFL Draft.

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It’s fair to characterize him in such a way, particularly because he was replaced as the starting running back by a seventh-round selection. While it may be more common to discover talented running backs in the later rounds of the draft, the Chiefs had a valuable chance to secure one and they failed to capitalize on it.

The Chiefs selected him as the final pick of the first round in the 2020 NFL Draft. However, when considering the fact that Damien Williams had over 100 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns in the previous Super Bowl that they won, it may not have been the best decision to start him.

Despite high expectations, his performance was even worse. He failed to live up to the dual-threat running back potential that Andy Reid had envisioned, and his injuries began to greatly affect his abilities. On the field, he struggled to make plays happen. His eventual replacement by Isiah Pacheco solidified his label as a bust.

The Chiefs would be wise to bring him back as a backup running back, considering his familiarity with the system and how things operate. However, it’s clear that the franchise’s decision to wait a full month after the start of free agency demonstrates their opinion of him.