The Chiefs made a transaction this evening that will sideline Charles for the remainder of the year.
Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Kansas City Chiefs will be activating LB Justin March-Lillard off injured reserve. This is significant because the Chiefs recently lost Pro Bowl middle linebacker Derrick Johnson for the year. It also means former All-Pro running back Jamaal Charles cannot return for a potential playoff run.
In what was supposed to be Charles’ second comeback campaign in 2016, the ninth-year back experienced complications throughout the season. After a few promising runs in Oakland back in October, Charles would received only one more carry the following week. It turned out #25 was experiencing pain in both knees and would require arthroscopic knee surgery on his right knee.
The #Chiefs activated LB Justin March-Lillard off IR, designating him for return. That means Jamaal Charles is not coming back for playoffs
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 21, 2016
Although Chiefs fans hate to see a headline like this, activating March-Lillard is certainly the wiser move. A player like Derrick Johnson cannot be replaced; Kansas City will need all the help they can get up the middle.
There is no denying how incredible Charles has been throughout his career. He currently holds the mark for the most yards per carry in NFL history. If it wasn’t for two devastating ACL injuries during his career, who knows how we would be talking about Charles today. The Chiefs have had capable replacements in Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West, and they continue to win football games.
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The future for Jamaal Charles remains uncertain. He might have played his last snap for Kansas City this year. With a cap hit of $7 million set for 2017, KC might have to make a business decision on Charles come this offseason. Regardless of what the future holds, rest assured that Charles will forever be a Chiefs legend.