Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s Chiefs departure post still leaves his future wide open

The Kansas City Chiefs have reportedly released former first-round running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

Edwards-Helaire broke the news himself, taking to X (formerly Twitter) to share a heartfelt goodbye message to the Chiefs Kingdom and organization.

Considering Edwards-Helaire thanked Kansas City, they're ostensibly ending things on good terms. He expressed gratitude toward the Chiefs for being a "family [he] didn't know [he] needed" and making his "dreams come true." So, with that in mind, it wouldn't be shocking to see the two sides cross paths again in the future.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire’s Chiefs departure post still leaves his future wide open

Based on Edwards-Helaire's statement, this feels more like a "see you later" than a goodbye. The return of starting tailback Isiah Pacheco and the signing/emergence of veteran runner Kareem Hunt made him expendable. So, the Chiefs elected to cut the fourth-year pro and use his spot on the 53-man roster to bolster another positional group. Perhaps they're clearing the runway for an emergency quarterback in response to franchise passer Patrick Mahomes, who suffered an ankle injury in Week 15.

Regardless, Edwards-Helaire's time with the Chiefs is over (for now). However, his pass-catching prowess out of the backfield and familiarity with head coach Andy Reid's offensive scheme/Mahomes leave the door open for a reunion.

Kansas City re-signed Edwards-Helaire to a one-year, $1.7 million contract last offseason, though he's yet to appear in a game this year. His battle with PTSD after being involved in a 2018 shooting has been well-chronicled, sidelining him throughout training camp and the regular season. He ran for 223 yards and a touchdown on 70 carries in the 2023 campaign, which all mark career lows.

The first running back off the board in the 2020 NFL Draft, Edwards-Helaire's journey in the league hasn't panned out as many expected or hoped. Injuries, his off-field struggles and Pacheco's ascension have all factored into the equation. Nonetheless, he's shown what he can do under the right circumstances, amassing 1,100 scrimmage yards as a rookie.

If something happens to Pacheco, Hunt or Samaje Perine down the stretch, the Chiefs could get Edwards-Helaire on the horn.