Kansas City Chiefs GM casts doubt over future of former first-round pick
- Rob McCarthy
- 21 April 2023
The future of former Chiefs first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire in Kansas City beyond next season remains an uncertain one following comments from general manager Brett Veach.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire's stay in Kansas City beyond next season could be coming to an end following comments from Chiefs general manager Brett Veach.
The Chiefs GM said on Thursday that the team has yet to make a decision on whether to pick up Edwards-Helaire's fifth-year rookie option.
"I mean we have some time here," said Veach, via team transcript. "We'll see. I just think we'll go through the draft and handle our business and make smart decisions like we always do.
"I don't think we've reached a decision on anything yet, but safe to say that once we get through the draft, we'll look at our board and look at our offseason business that we have to attend to, some different players and contract stuff and we'll handle all that after the draft."
That does not leave much time to make a decision, as May 2 stands as the deadline for clubs to exercise fifth-year options for players selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Fresh off of winning their second Lombardi Trophy back in 2020, the Chiefs looked like they were adding a significant weapon to their offence when they drafted Edwards-Helaire out of LSU as the No. 32 overall pick.
He had a championship pedigree and a dual-threat resume. As a rookie, the now 24-year-old racked up 803 rushing yards, 297 yards receiving and five total touchdowns.
However, Edwards-Helaire's rushing yards have gone down each season since and he's been hampered by injuries throughout his three-year stay in K.C. Indeed, has featured in just 10 games in the last two seasons.
Complicating matters for Edwards-Helaire was the 2022 NFL Draft, as the Chiefs dropped on a rough diamond in the shape of Isiah Pacheco. The seventh-round pick ran for 830 yards during Kansas City's run to its latest Super Bowl triumph.
Veteran Jerick McKinnon is still a free agent and is another option for the Chiefs backfield after hauling in nine TD catches for them last year.
As for Edwards-Helaire, he just needs to show that his injury troubles are behind and produce the sort of performances he did in his rookie year to extend his stay in Kansas.
