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The Kansas City Chiefs have been blessed with some incredible players at the running back position throughout franchise history. From the AFL days, with players like Abner Haynes and Curtis McClinton to the early 2000s with Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson. Most recently they’ve had Jamaal Charles, the franchise leading rusher, on the squad.
While the current team is much more pass-heavy than teams of old, they recently added former LSU RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire with the No. 32 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. He’s the first running back the team has selected in the first round since they drafted former Penn State RB Larry Johnson at pick No. 27 in 2003.
This is the first significant investment the team has made at the position in nearly two decades, but where will Edwards-Helaire rank among the team’s all-time greats when it’s all said and done? He started in 13 games as a rookie, recording 803 yards and four rushing touchdowns on 181 carries. He added 36 receptions on 54 targets for 297 yards and a score.
If Edwards-Helaire averages 803 yards per season over the next three seasons— which would likely be considered a disappointment— he’ll move into the top-10 rushing yards leaders in franchise history. If he averaged just four rushing touchdowns per season in that same span, he’d be tied for 13th in franchise history. If he averages just 181 carries per season, he’ll have the 10th most carries in franchise history by the end of the 2023 season.
Edwards-Helaire didn’t have the luxury of having stability on the offensive line as a rookie, with constant injury struggles throughout the year. It all, of course, culminated in the Super Bowl LV loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That’s something that the Chiefs are very much so looking to improve in 2021 and beyond.
It’s also important to keep in mind, Edwards-Helaire is just 22 years old. He’s on his rookie contract and the team will have an opportunity to exercise a fifth-year option in the future. He should be on the team through the 2024 season before the Chiefs will need to decide to extend his contract or let him walk in free agency.
So what do you think, Chiefs Kingdom? After one season of seeing Edwards-Helaire in action, where do you expect him to rank among the franchise’s greats at the position? Be sure to vote in the poll at the top of the page and let us know your thoughts on Facebook and Twitter.
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